America's Next Top Model
by Outlawqueenislife
Summary: Emma and Regina compete in America's Next Top Model. Emma wants to be a face for girls who survived the foster system, and Regina wants out of her mother's shadow. While the two may be competing against one another, they soon realize that feelings have developed. Will they allow a relationship to progress or put the competition first?
1. Chapter 1

Week One:

 **Emma-**

Emma Katherine Swan could hardly believe it. She had made it through casting week, and was actually in the running to be America's Next Top Model. She had the chance to be a role model, especially for little girls who grew up in the foster system just like she had. Her dreams actually seemed obtainable now. She was going to prove to the judges that she deserved to be here.

"This house is amazing!" One of the girls in Emma's room, Ruby, exclaimed.

"Yeah, it sure beats sleeping in your car." Emma half joked.

"Hey." Emma looked up to see the beautiful brunette she recognized from casting week. "Is there room for one more in this room? I think everywhere else is full."

"Of course!" Emma's other roommate, Mal, said. "Come join us, Regina."

Emma noticed that Regina was wearing all designed clothes. Even her luggage bags were Gucci. Emma's jeans were so old, she couldn't even remember which Good Will she'd gotten them from. Regina probably never even wore the same outfit twice.

"I can't believe Cora Mills' daughter is actually in the same room as me." Ruby squealed.

Emma's head snapped up. Cora Mills was one of the world's first supermodels. She had made a name for herself when she climbed the social ladder. Cora had been poor as a child, but she worked hard and had an extremely successful modeling career. She had retired about 22 years ago when her first daughter was born, but Emma was very familiar with the women. Cora had even reemerged in the fashion world about a decade ago.

"I'm here for me." Regina stated cooly. "Not because of who my mother is."

Emma shrunk down a bit. Regina was a bit intimidating. She probably had the most experience with the world of modeling than anyone else her. Emma knew, Regina would be one of her biggest competition.

"So, what do you think they'll do for our makeovers?" Mal asked, changing the subject.

"I hope they don't cut mine." Regina stated.

Regina had long black hair that, even in the french braid Regina had it tied in, reacher her waist. Emma had a feeling, the judges would feel Regina needed to lose some inches. Hair that long, Emma knew from watching previous cycles, made a model less versatile.

"Emma, is your hair naturally that color blonde?" Ruby asked.

"Yep." Emma smiled. "I've never dyed my hair."

"Neither have I." Regina said.

"It's obvious some of us have….experimented with our hair." Mal replied. She was looking at the red streaks in Ruby's hair as if they were poisonous. "The most I've done is some blonde highlights."

"I like to express myself, thank you." Ruby bit back.

Mal rolled her eyes, and walked over to her suitcase. She began to unpack her clothes. Regina sighed and followed suit. Emma had decided that she would only unpack if she made it past the first week. She refused to jinx herself.

"Are you going to clean up your stuff?" Regina asked Ruby, whose suitcase was strewn all over the place. "I can't get to the closet."

"Eventually." Ruby responded as she laid on the bed.

"Not all of us want to live in a pig pen." Mal glared. "Also, don't even think about getting into any of my things. Just because you lived in a car doesn't mean I'm going to take pity on you."

Emma's mouth dropped. She couldn't believe Mal would insinuate that she was a thief. It hurt to be stereotyped like that. For some reason, Emma didn't want Regina to think she was a thief.

"I don't steal." Emma replied. "Yeah, I lived in my car, and yeah I had no money to my name, but I'm no thief."

"Like you'd admit to it." Mal replied.

Emma sighed, but decided to leave the issue alone. She didn't want drama, and she needed to keep her focus for the photo shoot that was the next day. They had received Tyra Mail telling them to be ready by 6 am. As much as Emma wanted to get along with her roommates, her focus had to be winning this competition.

 _*EMMA CONFESSIONAL*_

"I don't know what Mal's deal is, but if she thinks she can distract me, she's wrong. I am in this to win this. If she wants to be the house bully, fine. The judges are going to see through it and it will ruin her chances."

 **Regina-**

Regina's alarm went off at 4:00 am. She groaned, but knew she needed to get ready. The first photo shoot was huge. She had to make a good impression on the judges if she had any hopes of proving that she could do this. She had to be her own person, and not just Cora's daughter.

"Can you turn that off." A voice grumbled. Regina realized it was Emma.

"Sorry." Regina whispered.

"What time is it?" Emma asked back, quietly.

"4:00." Regina told her.

Emma groaned again, but threw off the covers. She made her way to the bathroom and Regina followed suit. In the bathroom light, Regina noticed how beautiful Emma was. She shook the thought out of her head, and got ready to shower.

When Regina finished her shower and did her hair, most of the other girls were awake and fighting for space in the bathroom. Regina was glad she had gotten up so much earlier. She even had time to eat breakfast, which she knew was important for a photo shoot.

Regina entered the kitchen and noticed Emma eating a bowl of oatmeal. She had assumed the blonde had gone back to sleep, but she was surprised to see her wide awake. Emma looked completely ready for the day.

"I'm so sorry I woke you up."

"It's all good, I actually had time to get ready before the stampede." Emma smiled.

Regina returned her smile and went about getting food ready. It was going to be a long day, but Regina was ready for it to begin.

The girls arrived at their first photo shoot destination. Jay, the creative director, explained the concept of the shoot to them. They would each be paired up with someone the judges felt was their opposite. Regina wondered if it was based on looks or attitude.

"We have seven groups so pay attention as I read them off." Jay instructed. "Mal and Ruby, Ella and Jasmine, Mary Margaret and Cruella, Marian and Aurora, Mulan and Tink, Belle and Ursula, which leaves Emma and Regina as our last pair."

Regina was a surprised that she and Emma were paired together. She supposed it did make sense, they were pretty opposite. It made Regina more excited for the shoot. Emma was beautiful, and Regina knew they could put out a kick ass photo.

The models were sent to hair and makeup. Mal and Regina were next to each other as they got made up for the photo. They had told Emma and Regina what their costumes would be, and Regina couldn't wait. Emma would be dressed as an innocent princess, and Regina would be wearing and Evil Queen look. She knew this was going to be hot.

"I can't believe you got paired with orphan girl and I'm stuck with the slob." Mal complained.

"It was based on opposites." Regina reminded her roommate. "Besides, I'm sure you and Ruby can produce a great picture."

Mal shrugged. Regina had liked Mal during casting week, but she was starting to make Regina uncomfortable. She was constantly putting down the other girls, especially Emma. Regina just didn't think like that. It was the part of this industry that sometimes turned Regina off.

"I think Emma is serious competition." Regina stated. "She's got drive, and she is one of the most beautiful girls here."

"We'll see." Mal hummed.

Regina was called to wardrobe. Emma was already there, dressed in a long white dress made of feathers. She really did look like a princess. A swan princess. They put Regina in a black gown that revealed a lot of cleavage. She could hardly breathe in it, but she loved it.

"Ready for this?" Emma asked her.

"I am." Regina smiled. "We got this in the bag."

"Yes, we do." Emma smiled back at her.

The pair were then sent to the set. Jay instructed them with where to stand, and then the camera started going off. Regina fell into poses pretty easily. It came from watching her mother and having some previous experience. Emma struggled at first with keeping her face soft, but after a few frames, she nailed it.

"That was really good, ladies." Jay complimented.

When the shoot was over, everyone went back to the house. They had their first meeting with the judges the next day, and they all were tired. Regina went right to sleep. Tomorrow would be another busy day.

The girls were all nervous for panel. One of them would be going home. While the shoot had gone extremely well, Regina knew one could never be certain. Tyra Banks, the host of the show, began to call up the pairs to look at the photos.

"Next is Emma and Regina." Tyra called them up. Regina took a deep breath and followed Emma up to the judges. "Here is your guys' best photo."

Regina gasped at the picture. They had chosen the one when Regina had her hand on Emma's neck. Emma's eyes were half open. It was definitely hot. Regina was happy with how great it turned out.

"It's very seductive." Nigel, one of the judges, told them. "Emma your expression in your eyes in incredible, and Regina your really embodied the Evil Queen."

"I think Regina, you nailed the posing." Tyra stated. "And Emma, you have such stunning features. I was amazed by both of you. Well done."

Soon, the girls were sent out so the judges could deliberate. Some of the critics had been rough. Mal, for one, was upset that they hadn't loved her photo. They had told her Ruby outshined her, and she hadn't take it well.

After what seemed like forever, they were called back to the judging room. Regina's heart was beating a mile a minute. Someone would be leaving very soon. While it was a low chance that it would be her, she was still nervous.

"I only have thirteen photos in my hands, and these photos represent the thirteen of you that will still be in the running toward becoming America's Next Top Model. The girl that I do not call must immediately return to your house, pack your bags and go home." Tyra told them. "The first name I call will actually the best pair and the best photo. Emma and Regina."

Regina could hardly believe it. She and Emma came and got their photo and thanked the host in excitement. Emma even gave Regina a little hug. They had done well, and worked great together.

"Next name. Ruby. Belle. Mary Margaret. Tink. Mulan. Ursula. Jasmine. Ella. Aurora. Marian." The last two girls standing were Mal and Cruella. Regina was shocked that Mal had done so poorly. "Will Mal and Cruella please step forward."

Both of the girls stepped up to Tyra. Mal looked teary eyed, but Cruella remained stone faced. It was shocking that the two of them were in the bottom. Regina had thought both of them would make it farther.

"The two of you stand before me for very different reasons." Tyra explains. "Cruella, you are here in the bottom two because your film was weak. You had one great shot, but none that really wowed me. Mal, you had decent film. Not the best. Not the worst. But you are here, because your attitude turns off the judges. Beauty is not just on the outside, but on the inside as well."

Regina sucked in her breath. She could see why the judges felt that way about Mal. She definitely hadn't shown a soft side yet. It was shocking that this happened so early on, but Regina was happy it was being pointed out.

"So who stays in this competition?" Tyra flipped over the photo. "Mal. You need to prove you deserve this."

Cruella nodded. She had been eliminated, but she didn't shed a tear. Regina commended her on her strength. Cruella said her goodbyes and left. Regina was surprised that the first week was already over.

 _*REGINA CONFESSIONAL*_

"I am so glad we are done with the first elimination. It's going to get harder from here on out, but I survived the first week and I am determined to keep going."

 **A/N**

 **So here's the first chapter. The next ones will have more details and such. Let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions! Thanks in advance :) -Kai**


	2. Chapter 2

Week Two:

 **Emma-**

After the first elimination, Emma realized just how much she wanted this. Seeing someone with as much beauty and personality as Cruella leave put things in perspective for Emma. Her dream seemed so close.

"I can't believe Cru is gone." Mal said in the room when they got home. "Being in the bottom two is so scary."

"I never want to experience that." Ruby stated. "By the way, congrats Emma and Regina. Your picture looked so amazing."

Mal didn't say anything. It was clear that she was annoyed that Emma had done well. Until then, Emma didn't think anyone saw her as real competition. Emma had been the underdog, but she knew now that her talent was shining through.

"I was surprised by how well we worked together." Emma admitted. "Regina is the posing queen."

"Thanks." Regina smiled with a slight blush. "You worked really hard on set, Emma. You deserve most of the credit."

Emma was shocked by the compliment. She knew Regina didn't say those things lightly. It was sincere, and Emma felt proud to have impressed Regina.

"Beginners luck." Mal said with an eye roll. "I just had an off week."

Emma wondered if Mal's attitude would improve before the next judging. Emma had watched previous cycles of the show and it seemed that they always kept a mean girl in the house for a while. Half of why people watched the show was to see the stupid girl drama.

"We'll see." Ruby muttered.

The girls were interrupted by Tink's voice. She was announcing to the house that they had mail. Everyone hurried to the living room to hear what the letter had to say.

" _You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk? Fierce and love, Tyra"_

Everyone knew that it could only mean one thing: runway walks. Emma had been dreading this. She was clumsy in heels, and she knew her walk was not her strongest. But, Emma was not going to give up. She would work twice as hard because there was no way she could go home.

Emma was up at the crack of dawn. They didn't have to leave until 8 am, but Emma wanted to get in some runway practice. By 5:30, she was taking advantage of the giant runway in their living room. She strutted up and down, trying to remember all the little details. It was hard judging yourself on your own walking ability.

"Chin up a bit." Emma nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Regina standing there. "And try not to bounce so much."

"Uh, thanks." Emma gave her a half smile. She was too embarrassed to keep practicing in front of Regina.

"Don't stop on my account." Regina told her. "You actually had the same idea I did."

"Oh please, like you need practice." Emma huffed. "Your first steps were probably runway worthy."

"I'm short for a model." Regina reminded the blonde. "I have a lot to make up for. Come on, we can practice together before the dragon wakes up and takes over."

Emma couldn't help but snort. The dragon was the perfect nickname for their roommate. Mal seemed to want to be Regina's friend, and Emma was glad that Regina wasn't falling for it.

Regina and Emma practiced for the next half an hour. Emma was surprised by how easy it was to make small talk with Regina. They didn't have much in common at first glance, but they found many things to chat about. Emma was actually enjoying the brunette's company more than she should have. It was getting tough to remember that Regina was her competition.

The competition ended up being a runway show for one of Emma's favorite designers. The Charming brothers were identical twins who designed ball gowns and formal wear. It wasn't Emma's typical style, but she knew the brothers were very down to earth. Their mother had been part of the business before she died of a rare heart disease. Since her passing, the brother's donated half of their earnings to a charity in her honor. Emma felt it was very nobel.

"The girl with the best walk will be safe from elimination and will win a one of a kind dress from the designed." The runway instructor told them. "Myself and the Charming brother's will judge you and decide who we think owned the runway."

It began to get chaotic. There were girls being thrown into dresses all over backstage. Emma was put in red dress that was made of silk. It had cape sleeves and a long flowing skirt. She loved it. Regina, she noticed, was in a light blue ball gown made of lace. She looked soft and beautiful. Emma couldn't help but stare.

"Emma your up!" Emma snapped out of her staring and was pulling to the runaway.

Her adrenaline was higher than ever. She took a deep breath and shook off her fear. Once she was out, she let herself have some fun. She made it to the end of the runway, struck a pose, and turned back around. Emma felt like she was doing great. Until, that is, she tripped in her heels. She nearly tumbled right off the stage, but managed to catch herself. She felt her heart stop. The embarassment hit her when she heard the crowd gasp. She practically ran back to the changing room.

Emma felt like she had royally screwed up her chance to impress some of her favorite designers. On top of that, runway walks were crucial for a top model. She was probably going to be sent home for her horrible performance.

"Emma?" She looked up to see Regina. "Are you okay?"

Emma shook her head. Hot tears were running down her face. She was even more mortified that Regina had witnessed her failure. She wondered who else had watched her tumble.

"It wasn't so bad." Regina tried to comfort. "Honestly, you looked so good until you tripped."

"I probably lost my chance." Emma sniffled.

"Nonsense, you can still make it up with the photo shoot. Besides, it's the first fashion show. It's going to be fine. Jasmine's walk was way worse than yours." Regina said. She handed Emma a tissue. "Don't give up, Emma."

"Thanks." Emma offered a weak smile.

The two headed back out. The show was wrapping up and the winner would soon be announced. Emma hadn't seen how the others had done, but she hadn't heard of anyone else who fell. She hoped that they could see past her mistake and understand. She felt bad for hoping someone did worse.

"Alright, so we had a few stumbles." The judge said. "I've seen worse, but we have much work to do. That being said, many of you did fairly well. There was one girl who really surprised me. She was confident, and she looked really great in the designer's clothes."

"We feel that one of you definitely proved to us that you can rock a runway." One of the brothers, James, said.

"And that girl is Ruby." David announced.

Emma was happy for her roommate. She knew Ruby had a really strong walk. Emma just hoped she stuck around long enough to ask Ruby for help.

 _*EMMA CONFESSIONAL*_

"I feel very defeated today. I was trying too hard, I know that. My time here can't be done. I need to prove to myself and everyone else that I deserve to be here. This photo shoot has to be damn good or I know I'll be the one packing my bags. I know Regina said it wasn't that bad, but I feel like it was the worst of the group. I don't know what I will do if I go home."

 **Regina-**

The competition was growing more and more intense. Even growing up with Cora Mills as her mother couldn't prepare Regina for the intensity. Girls seemed to be constantly at one another's throats, and they never seemed to have a break. Regina knew she was lucky to be here, and she wasn't ungrateful for the opportunity, she was just starting to feel the stress pile up.

"Hey." Regina looked up from her seat on the balcony. She had snuck out to escape the chaos of the house.

"Emma, come sit." Regina offered with a smile.

Emma took Regina's invitation and came to sit next to her. Regina knew that Emma was her competition, but she was also starting to see the blonde as her friend. She had been surprised by how quickly she was coming to like Emma.

"I needed to escape all that estrogen." Emma joked. Regina chuckled.

"I understand."

"It's been a long day, but all they want to do is act like sorority girls on a Saturday night." Emma stated.

"I know what you mean." Regina smiled. "I think some of them think they're still in high school."

Emma nodded. They sat in a comfortable silence. Both enjoying the small dosage of quiet they were getting.

"Thank you, by the way for what you said at the challenge." Emma said. "I know I said it earlier, but really, it helped."

"I'm glad you feel better." Regina told her sincerely.

"I need to kick butt on this photoshoot." Emma sighed.

Regina didn't want to think about Emma going home. Her feelings for the blonde were something she didn't know how to explain. They grew quickly. She knew the more time she spent around Emma, the stronger they would be.

The girls had received mail stating that they would have a photoshoot the next day. Emma and Regina had gone to bed before the other girls to get some sleep. Regina didn't care about making friends much with the other girls. They weren't her type of people, and she was happy just hanging out with Emma.

"What do you think we'll be doing?" Mal asked the next morning as they all got ready. Emma was eating breakfast and Ruby was in the shower. It was just Regina and Mal in the room. "The letter said _Don't sink in this competition_."

"Probably some kind of water shoot." Regina said. "I hope it's not underwater. I'm not ready for that."

"So, I totally envision you and I will be the top two." Mal told her roommate. "You and I will definitely be the last two standing."

Regina did not agree with her vision. Mal was pretty, that was certain, and she had a modeling ability, but Regina felt she was too much of a bully to win. America's Next Top Model had to be a role model.

"We'll see." Regina smiled.

"I think we could be friends." Mal said. "And, as your friend, I'm telling you to lose Emma. America's Next Top Model isn't going to be some white trash-"

"Emma is a fantastic model." Regina cut her off coldly. "She would be a true inspiration for young girls who struggled like she did."

"Pick your friends carefully, Regina." Mal warned. "What would Cora say about your budding relationship with Foster Girl?"

"My mother doesn't get a say in who I chose to spend my time with, and honestly, I'm sure she'd rather I spend time with someone who has actual potential as a model."

Regina didn't wait for Mal to respond. She stormed out of the room and down the stairs. She poured a cup of coffee and tried to stop steam from coming out of her ears. She was so angry at Mal for judging Emma without even knowing her.

"You okay?" Emma asked from the counter top where she was eating her toast.

"Fine." Regina grumbled.

"Right." Emma didn't buy it at all. "Look, don't let whatever it is get in your head. Focus on the photo shoot, okay."

Regina knew Emma was right. Her issues with Mal could be dealt with later. Right now, she needed to worry about nailing her next photo.

When they arrived on set they found out that they would be doing a photoshoot on life rafts in a pool. It would be a photo for a new line of hats. Regina was glad they would just be floating on the water instead of going in the water.

Regina made sure when she went to hair and makeup to sit far away from Mal. She refused to allow drama from this girl to ruin her shoot. It was too important to do well today. She was not ready to go home.

When Regina got to wardrobe Emma was there. She was dressed in a black bikini with a matching black sun hat. Regina tried not to oogle her, but it was difficult. Emma looked wonderful in her suit. The stylist handed Regina a red one-piece suit to put on. Regina forced herself to look away from the blonde and get changed.

"Good luck." Emma told Regina as Emma was lead to set.

"Thanks, you too." Regina smiled.

Regina was done in wardrobe and had some time to wait for her turn on set. She was able to watch part of Emma's shoot from afar. It was clear that Emma was struggling to find a pose on the raft. It was surprising to Regina because Emma was a natural at posing. Emma seemed to grow frustrated more and more as the shoot went on. It worried Regina.

Jay called Emma off set. He told her it hadn't been the best shoot for her and that she needed to learn to be more comfortable in her own body. Emma looked like she was going to cry. Regina wanted to comfort her, but she was being dragged to set before she had the chance.

Regina climbed onto the raft and discovered that it was easier than she had expected. She found the light right away and started to fall into poses that felt the most natural. She ended up having a lot of fun on the set too.

"You rocked this shoot." Jay told her proudly. "I was really impressed with you today."

Regina was glad to get some praise, but she couldn't enjoy it too much. Not when she knew Emma had struggled. She was nervous for elimination.

Judging happened the next day. Emma had told Regina she was worried about going home. Regina had tried to comfort her, but there was nothing she could do to ease the blonde's worry. Her fate was in the Judges' hands.

Tyra started calling people up to look at their photos. Jasmine had been first and the judges seemed unimpressed by her picture. Ursula was next, and she also seemed to have a rough shoot. Regina hoped that meant Emma still had a chance. Mal was called and her photo was good. Not the best Regina had seen, but definitely in the top.

"Regina, you're next." Tyra called. Regina walked up to them and they pulled her photo up.

"Marvelous!" One of the judges exclaimed.

"It's very pin up meets vogue!" Another judge stated.

"You had the strongest film out of all the girls." Tyra smiled.

Regina thanked them. They dismissed her and called up Ella. They kept going down the line. Some girls got great feedback, others not so much. Emma was the last name for them to call.

"Emma, I was a little disappointed in your film this week." Tyra told the young girl. "It seemed like you really struggled."

"I did." Emma admitted. "I just, I want this so badly, but it's hard, you know? I am still trying to be confident in myself."

"You have a talent." A judge told her. "Learn to believe in yourself and you're there."

The girls were sent out of the room so the judges could deliberate. Emma and Regina sat away from the others. Regina tried to cheer Emma up and not let her feel too down. Soon, they were called back.

Regina could feel Emma shaking next to her when they got back to the judging room. Tyra stood in front of them with the photos in her hands. Regina prayed that both and she and Emma's photos were in that pile.

"I only have thirteen photos in my hands, and these photos represent the thirteen of you that will still be in the running toward becoming America's Next Top Model. The girl that I do not call must immediately return to your house, pack your bags and go home." Tyra told them. "The first name I will is best photo this week. Regina."

Regina was shocked. She had gotten praise, but she didn't think her photo had been the strongest. She smiled and walked over to accept her photo from the judge.

"Next name." Tyra began to call off the rest of the girls. "Mal. Ruby. Ella. Mary Margaret. Tink. Belle. Mulan. Aurora. Marian. Ursula."

Regina held her breath. Emma was in the bottom two. She and Jasmine were called up to stand in front of Tyra. As much as Regina like Jasmine, and as beautiful as she was, Regina hoped it was her who went home. Emma deserved to be here more than anyone.

"You two had the two weakest photos in the bunch." Tyra explained. "Emma, last week you were on the top of this pack. But a not so good runway show, and a not so good photo shoot makes the judges wonder if your success was a fluke."

It was not a fluke, Regina knew it. She wished she could scream it out loud. Tyra hadn't even had a chance to see how amazing of a model Emma was.

"And Jasmine, your also struggled this week. Unlike Emma, you have faded into the background, but your unique beauty should make you stand out." Tyra took a breath. "So who stays? Emma."

Regina let out a breath of release as Emma grabbed her picture. She felt bad for Jasmine, but she was so glad Emma got another chance.

 _*REGINA CONFESSIONAL*_

"I know that this is a competition, but Emma wants this so badly. It would have been horrible to see her leave. I know that she can do this. She has it in her, and I am so confident in her abilities. I want her to do well."

 **A/N Next chapter is makeovers and maybe a make out ;)**

 **-Kai**


	3. Chapter 3

Week Three:

 **Emma-**

The dreaded Tyra mail had finally arrived. Emma had known it would be coming, but the girls acted shocked. Emma had rolled her eyes. Every cycle of America's Next Top Model had makeovers, it was no surprise.

 _If you don't dye, you may be cut. Fierce and Love -Tyra_

The mail had been obvious. Emma just wondered what they would do to her blond locks. A lot of the girls were emotional about their hair, but Emma didn't care. She would let them dye it any color or shave it all off if it gave her a chance at winning this competition.

The day after elimination, the girls were taken to a salon downtown. The Seven Dwarfs was one of the hottest places in LA. People from all over the country came to get their hair done here. Emma was super excited to get her hair done.

"So, were here in this fabulous salon, are you ladies ready to hear what we're doing?" Tyra asked. The girls all answered excitedly.

"Emma, your beautiful blonde hair," Tyra began. "We don't want to take away from it's natural beauty, but we want to give you a little more to play with, so your getting some extensions!"

Emma was a little glad they weren't doing anything too drastic. Even if she would have let them get rid of it, Emma really did love her hair. Tyra kept going down the line. Mary Margaret was getting her long locks chopped into a pixie cut. Mal's hair was being lightened and cut a little shorter. Ruby's red was coming out and was getting extensions. It kept going until Regina was the last one left.

"Such beautiful long, raven hair." Tyra complimented. "That is not at all versatile. We are chopping you up to here, baby."

Regina gasped when Tyra gestured to above her shoulders. Emma knew how much Regina loved her luscious locks, and she couldn't believe she was going to lose them. Emma knew, if Regina wanted to stay in the competition, she'd have to say goodbye to her beloved hair.

They were sent off to different stations. Emma was glad that she was seated near Regina. It was a little unsettling to see Regina completely stone face. Emma knew she was having an internal battle, but she had the poise and composure of a queen.

"You okay?" Emma asked. "I know that this is like, your worst nightmare."

"It's just hair." Regina stated. Emma couldn't figure if Regina was talking to her, or trying to convince herself. "It'll grow back."

"You'll rock short hair." Emma tried to encourage. Regina offered a weak smile.

The stylist came and began to prep the girls for their hair transformations. Emma was distracted by what the lady assigned to her was doing. She didn't have another chance to check on Regina. When she turned, they had whisked Regina off to have her hair shampooed. Emma hoped she'd be okay.

Emma was finished with her makeover and her post photo they'd taken. She was quickly eating some of the catered food they had brought in. It seemed like they'd been in the salon forever, and some of the makeovers were nowhere near complete.

"Uhm, Emma?" Emma looked up to see Ruby. "Regina is crying in the bathroom. Mal is with her, but I thought she might want you."

Emma forgot about the food in front of her and hurried off. She pushed past some girls trying to eavesdrop on Regina. She would tell them all off later. Right now she had more important things to do.

"Regina, get over your hair." Mal was saying. "Cora would have-"

"Get out." Emma told her. "Now."

Mal looked at Emma in shock. Emma could see that Mal wanted to argue, but she wasn't going to. The look in Emma's eyes were enough to send the Dragon Lady rushing out the door.

"I-I know it's just hair." Regina cried looking to Emma. "But, I-"

"Hey, sh, you don't have to explain." Emma soothed, moving to pull Regina into a hug. "I get it."

"I don't feel like myself anymore." Regina explained tearfully. "I don't feel beautiful and confident like I did before."

"Regina, you are without a doubt, the most beautiful girl here." Emma insists, giving Regina a tissue to wipe her tears. "I know its a big change, and that can be scary, but you are going to rock this haircut."

"At least they didn't cut these." Regina states, twirling one of Emma's blonde curls between her fingers. "You have such beautiful, golden hair."

"It's going to be okay, Regina." Emma tells her softly. "Now, let's get out there and watch Mary Margaret sob when they give her a pixie cut."

Regina laughs and follows Emma out of the room. They find seats and watch the rest of the makeovers and meltdowns. Emma knew Regina still had doubts, but she hoped that she had helped her feel a little better about the situation.

After the whole makeover fiasco, Emma and Regina spent even more time together. They had pretty much isolated themselves from the other girls. The drama and the negativity was just not appealing to Emma or her new found best friend.

They had finally gotten another Tyra mail about their weekly challenge. It had been about styling, and Emma had a suspicion that it would be all about being able to work their new looks.

The next morning, the group is taken to a studio. A camera is set up ready to take pictures of them. Emma can tell from the way that everything is set up that it will be a beauty shoot.

"Hey ladies." Tyra greeted them. They were shocked to see that Tyra was giving them their challenge today. "Today, I am going to take your beauty shots! The girl who does the best will win the challenge. She will get 50 extra frames at this weeks photoshoot, which we all know can be crucial."

They were sent off to get their hair done. For this shoot, Tyra had wanted to exaggerate their natural beauty, so she was having them all go without makeup. Emma was excited. She had been waiting for a beauty shoot, and she wanted to redeem herself to Tyra after last week.

Emma and Regina were the last two girl to go. Regina was before her, and Emma got to watch Regina's shoot. Tyra complemented Regina's beautiful skin. Emma was proud of Regina. When her shoot was done, Tyra called Emma over. Emma refused to let her nerves take over.

"Look at these lovely blonde extensions." Tyra compliments.

"Thank you." Emma grinned. "I love them."

Tyra got behind and the camera and Emma starting falling naturally into the poses. Tyra gave her little tips along the way, and Emma found them extremely helpful. This was her favorite challenge so far.

"Your eyes are so beautiful, you don't even need a lot of makeup." Tyra told Emma.

After Emma was done, the girls gathered around. Tyra told them that she had been impressed by how well they had all done. She gave some feedback to each girl. Regina was told to work on softening her mouth a bit, and that she shouldn't feel self conscious about her lip scar. Tyra told Emma to just be more confident with smiling during a beauty shoot.

"So the winner." Tyra smiled at all of them. "Is Belle."

Emma was happy for Belle. She was one of the quietest girls in the house, but she was really kind. And there was no doubt that Belle was a real beauty.

 _*EMMA CONFESSIONAL*_

"This has been such a busy week and it's not even over yet. I have never been so exhausted in my life. We are on the go all the time, but I wouldn't change a thing. I am so fortunate to be here, and I am living for every moment. I don't know who will go home this week, but I just really hope it isn't me or Regina. We need to do well and prove that we deserve to be here. As much as I want this, I know if I don't win, it should be Regina."

 **Regina-**

Regina and Emma were hanging out in their room. Regina was reading a book and Emma was playing solitaire with a deck of cards. Ruby came in and dragged them down stairs. The girls were all playing truth or dare and they wanted Emma and Regina to join them. Regina felt like truth or dare was something thirteen year old girls did at slumber parties. She had no interest in playing, but they didn't seem to have much of a choice.

"Good you got them." Tink grinned. "Come join the circle."

Regina sighed and took a seat next to Mary Margaret. Emma sat on Regina's other side. Mal went first and she chose to ask Mulan which judge she hated the most. It went around for a while before it was Emma's turn.

"Okay, uh, Ruby, truth or dare?" Emma asked.

"Dare." Ruby smiled.

"I dare you to...uh….let's see." Emma thought about what to dare her roommate to do. "Okay, I dare you to jump into the pool in all of your clothes."

The girls muttered that Emma's dare was lame, but Ruby went for it. She ran and jumped into the pool on their patio. She came back into the room dripping wet, but she grabbed a towel and sat back down.

"My turn." Ruby announced. "Regina, truth or dare."

Regina knew everyone wanted her to pick truth. They probably had a bunch of questions about her mother and such. She had no interest in having to answer them, so she decided to surprise them all.

"Dare." Regina announced.

Ruby grinned. She had hoped Regina would be ballsy enough to pick dare. She had known that Mulan was a lesbian since the first week. She was hoping that if she dared Regina to kiss her, it would make Emma jealous enough to finally make a move. Anyone could see that Emma and Regina had actual feelings for one another.

"I dare you, to kiss Mulan." Ruby smiled.

Regina turned bright red. Mulan shrugged, clearly not caring if Regina kissed her or not. Emma looked down at the ground, annoyed by this dare. Regina took a deep breath and moved across the circle to where Mulan was sitting. Mulan pulled Regina to her and placed a kiss on her lips. It was an innocent, chaste kiss, but Regina felt a twinge of guilt.

"This game is for kids." Emma declared, rising from her spot. "You guys are so immature. I'm going to sleep."

Emma stormed off. Regina wondered why the blonde was so upset all of the sudden. She couldn't possibly be jealous, right?

The girls had gotten Tyra mail not long after Emma had gone back to her room. Regina had fought the urge to follow, knowing Emma wouldn't have wanted her to. It was clear Emma wanted to be alone.

 _So you wanna be on top? -Fierce and Love, Tyra_

Regina had been too tired to try and solve the riddle. She went up to her room. Emma was either asleep or pretending to be in order to ignore Regina. Regina figured she would figure things out in the morning. She had a hard time falling asleep, but when she did she had the strangest dream. It was exactly like the game of truth or dare they had played, but in the dream, Regina was kissing Emma.

Emma had avoided Regina all morning. At the shoot, Emma stood far away from her friend. Regina was having a hard time not talking to Emma. She wished they had never agreed to play that stupid game last night.

"Okay, today we have a wonderful opportunity to model top hats made by the Mad Hatter himself, Jefferson Wonder!" Jay explained the girls.

They all clapped in excitement. Anyone who was anyone knew about the Mad Hatter. He had began making hats to keep food on the table for his daughter, and soon they were a hit. Now he was in fashion magazines all around the world, and people from all sorts of places were ordering his hats.

"Each of you have been assigned a special hat to fit you, and you will be modeling in front this Wonderland-esque backdrop." Jay continued.

Regina wanted to talk to Emma, but they needed to get ready for the shoot. Regina didn't want to distract the blonde so she decided to focus on the shoot. She would talk to Emma when they were finished.

Regina's hat was tall and black with a lace veil that went over her face. There was a red apple with a bite take out attached to the brim. The apple made Regina smile. She had definitely made an impression when she had been the Evil Queen during the first shoot just two weeks ago. Emma had a white hat that was shorter than Regina's. It was simple, but there was a swan placed on top of the hat. They already had Emma dressed in a short white dress with her curls laying softly over her shoulders. She looked beautiful.

"She's jealous, you know." Ruby stated from beside Regina.

"Who? Emma?" Regina replied. "No way."

"Uh, yeah, way." Ruby rolled her eyes. "That kiss with Mulan may have been innocent, but it broke Emma's heart."

"Emma doesn't like me that way." Regina insisted.

"Of course she does." Ruby said with a laugh. "Anyone can see it."

"But-"

"But what, Regina?" Ruby asked. "You obviously feel the same way. Put the poor swan out of her misery and make up. I can't take the sulking anymore."

With that Ruby walked off to get dressed. Regina realized, Ruby was right. Regina did have feelings for Emma, but she knew she couldn't voice them. Emma, if she did feel the same, had to focus on the competition. Regina refused to be the reason Emma got distracted.

Regina was called to set. She made it through the photo shoot and felt like she did a pretty good job. They told her she did great working through the veil, and she just needed to remember her angels. She hoped Emma had a good shoot, but the blonde still wasn't speaking to her. She supposed they'd see at judging.

When they got to panel, all of the judges were wearing top hats. It was cool to see them interacting with what the girls had been doing all week. Regina knew a lot of Jefferson's earnings went to a charity that helped starving children. Her mother had bought a collection from Jefferson a while back even though Cora never wore hats.

"Hello, ladies." Tyra greeted. "How do you like our hats?"

The girls laughed. Tyra chatted with them for a bit about why the Mad Hatter collection was so inspirational. She reminded them that the winner of the competition would have an opportunity to also make a difference in the world. After she was done, she began calling the girls up to examine their photos.

Ruby was first and her picture was gorgeous. She definitely set a high bar. Next up was Mal and she had a decent picture, but Tyra said they were still concerned about her attitude. Finally, they called up Emma.

"This is stunning." Tyra complemented. "You look so soft and surreal."

"You look like your in love and thinking of your lover." Another judge told her.

Regina tried not to blush. She wondered if Emma had been thinking of her during the shoot. It made her grin a bit. She had to remind herself that she wouldn't let Emma get caught up in a relationship with her and risk her chances of winning.

"Next up is Regina." Tyra announced. Regina walked up to the judges as her photo came up on the screen. "Your face is killer! I love, love the look in your eyes."

"I agree." Nigel said. "Work on your angels and this could have been a ten out of ten."

Soon, the judges were done with the looking over the photos. The girls were dismissed so the judges could decide who would be going home.

The girls came back and Tyra stood in front of them with the photos in her hands.

"I only have twelve photos in my hands, and these photos represent the thirteen of you that will still be in the running toward becoming America's Next Top Model. The girl that I do not call must immediately return to your house, pack your bags and go home." Tyra told them. "This week, best photo goes to, Ruby."

Regina smiled, but she was surprised. Ruby did have an amazing picture, but Regina had been sure that Emma would be called first.

"Runner up, Emma. Belle. Ella. Regina. Mary Margaret. Mulan. Tink. Ursula. Aurora." Tyra called. "Marian and Mal, please step forward."

Regina watched as the two, very different, women walked up. She wondered who would stay and who would leave. Truthfully, she hoped Mal would be sent packing finally.

"Mal, you are here because the judges are concerned about your meanness. We need a winner that little girls can look up to, not be afraid of." Tyra explained. "And Marian, you are fading. I find myself forgetting who you are. A personality is the most beautiful thing a model can have, and we have yet to see yours. So who stays in this competition? Mal."

Everyone was surprised. Marian had been nice, and she was very beautiful. It was sad that the judges had chose to keep Mal over her.

 _*REGINA CONFESSIONAL*_

"It's been a rough week. I need to figure things out with Emma. I miss her, but I don't want to ruin things for her. She deserves to be here more than anyone. How can I stand in the way of that?"

 **A/N here it is! :) -Kaila**


	4. Chapter 4

Week Four:

 **Emma-**

Avoiding Regina was proving to be harder than Emma had thought. Sharing a room, for one, made it some Emma saw Regina at all the time. Regina had been trying to talk to Emma since the elimination, but Emma didn't want to hear it. At this point, Emma wasn't even sure why she was angry at her friend anymore, but the thought of Mulan's lips on Regina's made the blonde's blood boil.

"Emma, come on you have to talk to me at some point." Regina tried as the girls were getting ready for bed. "Please."

Emma simply pushed past the brunette and headed into the bathroom. She heard Regina sigh before crawling into her bed. Maybe she was being stubborn, but she wasn't ready to admit why that kiss upset her so much.

The next day, the girls had to be up by 6:00 to head to an unknown destination. They arrived at an old dance studio where they were told their next challenge would be. The studio was owned by world renowned dancer, Abigail Midas.

"Today, I will be testing to see who can reenact a dance I teach you. Whoever I think does the best will win a really awesome prize for you and a friend." Abigail explained.

Emma internally groaned. She was a decent dancer after a few drinks, but sober she had little rhythm. She knew Regina had done ballet since she was eight years old. If they were talking, Emma would ask Regina for help, but they weren't, so Emma decided to wing the whole thing.

Abigail started with teaching them some basic moves. It wasn't anything too complicated, but Emma knew it was only the beginning. Sure enough, the steps got more complicated. Emma was worried she wouldn't even remember the whole dance. It seemed really unlikely that she would do well in this challenge.

"Alright, time for the real challenge." Abigail said after they'd been working for hours. "You're going to go one by one and show me what you got. Mary Margaret, you're up."

Emma watched as each girl completed the dance. Most managed to at least get all the steps in. Some, like Ursula, really struggled. Regina did perfect, no surprised. Emma was the last girl to be called up. Her nerves were getting the best of her.

Emma took a deep breath and listened to the music. She found the beat and went into the dance. She fumbled a little in the middle, but for the most part she remembered the steps. She knew she had done better than some of the others.

"I'm proud of all of your hard work." Abigail smiled at them. "You guys tried really hard today, some of you really stood out. Unfortunately, I can only pick one winner. That girl is...Regina."

The others clapped. Emma couldn't deny that Regina deserved to win this challenge. She had really shown off her talent, and she never once stumbled. It would have been wrong for her not to win.

"Okay, Regina, your prize is a night at Triton's Temple! The best spa in town. You'll get a whole package and a night in a 5 star hotel. You get to choose one friend to accompany you, who will it be?" Abigail asked.

"Emma." Regina said without hesitation. "I chose Emma."

As happy as Emma was to go spend a night at a luxurious spa, she didn't want to deal with Regina. She knew if they were stuck in a room, they'd have to talk. But it wasn't like she could say no to going either. This would be interesting.

Emma and Regina were dropped off at Triton's Temple as soon as they had packed their things. Emma had still managed to avoid talking to Regina, but she knew their time here would force a conversation. As much as Emma really hated to admit it, she missed Regina.

"So, what do you want to first?" Regina asked the blonde as she sat on the queen sized bed in their hotel room. "Facials? Mani-pedis? Massages? We could go to the jacuzzi."

"It's your prize." Emma replied with a shrug. "You chose what we do."

"Come on, Emma." Regina pouted. "You won't even tell me why you're so upset. How can I make it better if you won't talk to me?"

"I don't know why I'm so upset." Emma admitted. "I just, I didn't like seeing you kiss Mulan."

"It was just a stupid dare, Emma." Regina tried to reassure her. "It didn't mean anything to me. I swear.'

"I know." Emma sighed. "I feel like an idiot for being such a stubborn princess the past few days, I just...I don't know, it stung to see it I guess."

"Well, I don't plan on kissing Mulan again, and I'm sorry it made you upset. I didn't mean to hurt you." Regina apologized. "Can I be forgiven? I miss you."

"Yeah, you're forgiven." Emma smiled. "Now, about those massages?"

Emma was glad they were on good terms again. She had over reacted, and she knew it was a bit unfair. She was going to make it up to Regina by giving her a great time at the spa. Regina deserved to enjoy her prize. She worked hard for it, and Emma was glad she got to share the experience with her.

"We're going to be friends still when this competition is over, right?" Regina asked later as they lounged in the jacuzzi. Emma had been trying not to stare at Regina in her bikini, and the question through her off.

"You want to be my friend in the real world?" Emma asked. It was meant to sound like a joke, but the seriousness in Emma's voice gave her away.

"Of course I do!" Regina assured quickly. "Emma, you are a wonderful person, and this whole competition would suck without you. People always say they don't come to Top Model to make friends, but I'm glad I did."

"I'm glad too." Emma smiled. "Fine, I guess we can stay friends."

Regina playfully splashed water at the blonde. Emma let out a girly giggled as she pushed a wave of water back at Regina. Emma couldn't remember a time when she felt this relaxed or this happy. She knew the competition was far from over, but having Regina by her side made her feel at ease.

*EMMA CONFESSIONAL*

"I am relieved that Regina and I made up. This spa trip is exactly what we needed to get our friendship back on track. I feel bad for ignoring her for so long when she really didn't do anything wrong. Deep down, I know why I was so upset. I have no right to be jealous, Regina and I are just friends, but I hate the thought of her kissing anyone but me. I won't ruin our friendship by telling her how I feel. We're in a competition, and the last thing she needs is for me to distract her. Maybe there's hope for us when this is over, but I doubt it. People like me don't end up with people like her. We just don't."

 **Regina-**

After returning from their trip to the spa, Regina felt like a whole new person. She was refreshed, and now that her and Emma were back on track, she was ready to show these girls what she had. There was no way Regina was going to let anyone but her and Emma make it to the finals. If Regina was going to lose this competition to anyone, she would want it to be Emma.

Emma and Regina were practicing their runways walks after they got back. Regina had been helping Emma with her walk, and the blonde had shown huge improvements. Regina was proud at how far her friend had come. They were on the runway when the Tyra mail came.

 _Think you can work it? Be ready at 6:15 AM -Fierce and Love, Tyra_

Regina had a feeling that this photo shoot was going to be something extra creative. Seeing what people could come up with was her favorite part of the shoots. It was amazing how many unique things the creators could think of. It was inspiring.

The girls all managed to be ready on a time, a miracle honestly. Regina didn't understand why these girls waited until the very last minute to drag themselves out of bed. She hated feeling rushed around. She and Emma were always the first two up and ready to go.

"This is going to be a long day." Mal complained when they got to set.

Regina rolled her eyes. She chose to ignore her roommate. Mal's negativity could not get in her head before a shoot. She needed to stay focused. If Mal wanted to act like the dragon lady she could do it all on her own.

"Okay guys, I know it's early, but we have an exciting day ahead of us!" Jay smiled at them. "I'm going to start by introducing you to your photographer, they are going to explain the shoot instead of me today because they created the idea themselves!"

The girls were confused at first. Jay always explained the shoot and the usually didn't see their photographer until they were well into hair and makeup. But it made sense when they saw who was taking their photos. Tyra walked in and smiled at them all.

"Hi guys!" She greeted. "I'm so excited to be taking your pictures today!"

Regina was a little nervous that Tyra would take their photos. Of course Tyra was a judge, and she was also a model. She knew every nitty gritty detail. But, Regina knew she couldn't let it get to her. She just had to nail this shoot.

"So today," Tyra began to explain. "You will all be shooting different careers. So each of you will have a different job that you're modeling clothes for. Emma, you will be a sheriff. Ursula, a swim instructor. Mary Margaret, you will be a teacher. Belle you are going to be a librarian. Ruby, a waitress. Ella, a maid. Tink, you're going to be a therapist. Mal, a CEO. Mulan, you get to be a boxer. Aurora, we picked a stay at home mom for you because we think moms are so important and we want to show that being a stay at home mom isn't something that women should feel bad for. That leaves us with Regina, and you're going to be a politician."

Regina grinned. She had dreamed of going to law school once she finished her undergrad, but her mother convinced her to give modeling a shot. It turned out Regina was a natural at it, and she did love it, but she often wondered what it would be like if she had gone a different path. At least today, she could play make believe and pretend.

"Let's get started!"

Emma and Regina went to hair and makeup together. Emma had told Regina that she had made some extra money by being a bounty hunter, so getting sheriff as her career was exciting for Emma.

Emma was sent to wardrobe while they finished Regina's makeup. When Emma returned in jeans, a tight tank top, black calf high boots, and a leather jacket, Regina's mouth went dry. That was not when any sheriff she'd seen looked like.

"Apparently it's a fashion interpretation." Emma said as if reading her friend's mind.

Regina didn't trust herself to speak. Her cheeks were turning a rosy color, and she had to turn away. She couldn't make herself look foolish in front of Emma. It was useless, though, Emma noticed just about everything Regina did.

"My, my, madam mayor, are you blushing?" Emma teased.

"Madam mayor?" Regina asked with a slight chuckled.

"Yeah, since you're a politician today." Emma smiled at her own cleverness. "You can call me Sheriff Swan."

"You're full of it." Regina laughed.

"We'd be a good team." Emma continued. "Stopping crime and stuff together."

Regina rolled her eyes playfully. In all reality, Regina could see them as a team. Maybe not stopping crime, but taking on life together. It was so clear in her mind that it was beginning to scare Regina.

Regina got called to wardrobe and was distracted from her domestic thoughts about Emma. The stylists put Regina in a red pants suit with a long V shape that showed of her cleavage. She was handed a black leather briefcase to work with. She had to admit it, she felt like bad ass.

Emma was getting done with her shoot as Regina was going on. Emma gave a Regina the once over. If Regina didn't know any better, she'd think Emma was checking her out.

"Good luck, you got this." Emma encouraged. "You look hot."

"Thanks." Regina blushed. "How'd you do?"

"Nailed it." Emma smiled proudly.

Regina waked up to set and was greeted by Tyra. Tyra explained to Regina what her vision for the shoot was. Regina knew that it was important to make sure to listen to what the photographer wanted in a shoot.

"I have an image of the this strong, seductive, woman." Tyra explained. "I want you to really play around with the set and props."

Regina saw the large oak desk on set, and already had a bunch of ideas. She went right into it. She laid, sat, stretched, and used the desk to her advantage. Tyra kept calling out compliments while her camera clicked.

It was a good feeling, to know she was doing good in the shoot. She tried different poses, and remembered to keep her angles in mind. It was important to use the feedback from judging, so she found her light right away.

"That was amazing!" Tyra squealed once they were done. "Come give me a hug. I am so proud! Without a doubt, you were the best of the day."

Regina grinned. It was great to hear from Tyra Banks that you were the best. Regina felt like it was partly because she had always wanted work in office. It was easy to get in character. For today, she could have both of her dream jobs.

Judging was the next day. Regina and Emma were both confident that they were in the clear. No one had done too terrible, so it was a toss up on who would be leaving. Regina still hoped Mal's attitude would get her kicked out, but her pictures were great. Plus, they always seemed to keep a mean girl around for the drama.

The girls entered and Tyra did the normal introductions that everyone was familiar with by now. Once they were done, the girls were called up for their photo evaluations. First was Ella, her maid picture was pretty good. Mulan's was next, followed by Mary Margaret. Finally, Regina was called up.

"Woah." Nigel said in wonder. "This could be in any fashion magazine."

"Regina worked my set!" Tyra informed with pride. "I didn't have to give her any direction, she just went for it."

"Well done!" Another judge complimented. "I would think by looking at this that you were already a top working model."

Regina smiled and returned to her spot. They continued on evaluating. Ursula got a lot of bad feedback because she was struggling to learn how to pose. They joked that she was a fish out of water. Emma was last. They told Emma her picture was also amazing. Nigel loved it, and he said he could tell she had fun with it.

The girls were sent out so the judges could determine who was leaving. Regina was glad that she and Emma did well. It was so nerve racking to wonder who would no longer be around. She knew if Emma was sent home, she would be broken. A while later they were called back in to find out who was leaving.

"I only have ten photos in my hands, and these photos represent the ten of you that will still be in the running toward becoming America's Next Top Model. The girl that I do not call must immediately return to your house, pack your bags and go home." Tyra told them. "Best photo this week, should be no surprise. Come up here, Regina."

Regina felt proud as she came and grabbed her photo. She had impressed Tyra. That was a big deal in this competition. It also meant she had to keep working hard, but she was ready for the challenge.

"Runner up, of course, is Emma." Tyra smiled. Emma went and grabbed her photo happily. "Mary Margaret. Tink. Ruby. Ella. Mulan. Mal. Aurora. Will Belle and Ursula please step forward."

The two came up closer to Tyra. It was a shock to see the beautiful Belle and the unique Ursula in the bottom. One of them would be leaving for good.

"Belle, you are one of the most beautiful girls in this whole competition, but modeling is not just about natural beauty. What you lack is showing that strength I know is inside of you. And then we have Ursula. A girl with such unique looks and a quirky personality, but her pictures have been average at best." Tyra explains. "So which of one of these two lovely girls goes home tonight? Belle, you gotta keep proving to us that your sense of adventure is there. I have faith and so do the judges behind me, and that's why you get to stay."

*REGINA CONFESSIONAL*

"This week has been so much better than the last one. Emma and I are speaking again and we got to spend some time together without the other girls. My feelings for Emma keep growing, and it scares me. This competition is so intense, and I don't want to risk anything, but I don't know how much longer I can keep pretending that she's just my friend."


	5. Chapter 5

Week Five:

 **Emma-**

Everyone was tried by the time they returned from judging. It was always so draining, and as the weeks went on it was harder to watch people go. Even though they were competition, Emma knew this girls wanted this more than anything. They all were just as deserving as she was. Even Mal had been working for years to make it this far. While Emma would do anything to win, it was heartbreaking to see someone's dream end each week.

Regina and Emma went to their room once they got back. The others were making food downstairs. They had all decided on working on their walks together, but Emma and Regina passed. It had been a long week, and they just wanted a nice quiet night.

"I can't believe we're in the top ten." Emma said. She and Regina were laying side by side on her bed with their feet on the wall. "I feel like my audition for this was just yesterday."

"I know." Regina agreed. "I thought when I first got here that thirteen weeks would go so slowly, but they are going so fast."

"What are you going to do if you don't win?" Emma asked, turning to look at Regina.

"Well, I live in New York already, so I'll probably keep looking for modeling jobs. What I really would love to do if this doesn't happen for me is go to law school." Regina smiled at the thought. "But, my mother has a dream for me to follow in her footsteps. What about you?"

"I don't have much of a Plan B." Emma admitted. "I was living in my car for a while after my ex and I broke up. He was a jerk, and made me realize I don't want to ever date men again. But, my goal would be to move here and try to find my footing I guess."

"We could get an apartment together." Regina said. "We could live in the city and work. I could cook us dinner at night."

"I'll take out the trash every night." Emma chuckled. "I can't cook."

"That's okay." Regina grinned.

Emma looked into Regina's beautiful brown eyes. In them, she saw a future. One where, yes, they lived together in a little apartment. And Regina made dinner, and after, when the day was done, they'd crawl into bed and fall asleep in one another's arms. Emma leaned in, her lips about to touch Regina's.

"TYRA MAIL!" Ruby's voice called causing them to spring apart.

"We should go." Emma said sitting up. She was so angry at herself. She had probably ruined everything by almost kissing Regina.

Emma and Regina had awkwardly gone down to the rest of the girls. The Tyra mail said to be ready at 7:00 AM for their next challenge. Since it was late, Emma and Regina went to bed. Regina didn't say anything about the almost kiss, but she wasn't ignoring Emma either. Emma decided that was better than nothing.

The next morning, everything between Emma and Regina was pretty normal. They got around before the others, like usual, and had breakfast together. Regina didn't mention anything about the night before.

The challenge was an acting challenge, which Emma dreaded. She hated the thought of having to perform a scene in front of all the other girls. It made her want to toss her cookies all over the stage.

"We have a special guest to help out today!" Jay told them. "This will be a partner scene, so obviously we need a little eye candy today. Please welcome a very good friend of mine, straight of the set of _A Pirate's Life For Me,_ is emmy winning actor, Killian Jones!"

The girls around Emma gushed with excitement. Emma had to admit, Killian was cute. He wasn't her type, but Emma knew that a lot of girls would love to be in her place right now. Jay handed them the short script. At the end was a quick kiss. Emma nearly groaned. She did not want to kiss this man.

"Do we have to do this?" She whispered to Regina.

"It'll be fine." Regina assured her. "Just pretend its someone else."

Emma gulped, wondering if Regina meant herself. Emma wanted to ask about it, but Regina was trying to memorize the script and Emma didn't want to distract her. She studied her own lines, but knew she wasn't winning this challenge.

The girls only had fifteen minutes before Jay called them back over. He explained that they would be judged on how believable they were. The winner would get a guest spot on Killian's show for an episode. Emma knew that was a huge prize, but she wasn't feeling confident.

Mary Margaret went first, but she was blushing too hard. Emma didn't buy it one bit. Mal did pretty well, and so did Ruby. Everyone else was decent. It made Emma nervous.

"Regina you're up."

Regina stood and came up to the stage. She got the lines down, but it was clear she didn't feel comfortable kissing Killian either. She pulled away quickly and looked a little disgusted after.

"He smells like rum." Regina stated in a whisper when she sat back down next to Emma. "And he's wearing eyeliner."

Emma giggled quietly as they watched Tink walk up for her turn. Tink nailed the lines and the kiss. Hers was, so far, the most convincing. Jay seemed really impressed. Emma fought the urge to groan when Jay called her name up next.

Killian winked at her when she approached him. Emma wanted to roll her eyes, but she figured that would be a bad idea. She just wanted to get this over with, so she started her lines. She knew she probably talked way too fast. Killian looked way too excited to pull her close and kiss her. Regina had been right, he smelt like rum.

Jay didn't seem to buy her performance, but Emma was just glad that it was over. She hurried off the stage and to her seat. The rest of the girls finished their turns before Jay gave them feedback and announced the winner.

"Some of you did pretty great, others need some work." He summarized. "But, one of you stood out to me as someone who really deserves this prize. And that someone is Tink."

Emma was happy for Tink. She did deserve the prize. This was one challenge Emma was fine with losing. The girls started to head out when Killian called out to Emma. She was surprised that he remembered her name.

"Hey." He grinned at her. "Want to get a drink with me sometime?"

Emma saw Regina patiently waiting for her and looking annoyed. Emma wondered if Regina was a bit jealous, but quickly pushed the thought from her mind. She couldn't let her hopes get too high,

"I am a little busy with this competition." Emma said politely.

"After? Killian asked hopefully. "I think we have great chemistry."

"She's not interested." Regina interrupted.

"Oh?" Killian glared at the brunette. "And how would you know."

"Because she's taken." Regina stated before pulling Emma to her and kissing her right on the lips. She pulled away and gave Killian a look that reminded Emma of the Evil Queen. "By me, so move along, Guyliner."

Emma was too shocked to say anything. Regina grabbed Emma by the hand and led her to the bus where the other girls were. No one else had witnessed the scene, and Emma was a little grateful. She was still trying to process what had just happened.

*EMMA CONFESSIONAL*

"Regina Mills just kissed me."

 **Regina-**

Regina had kissed Emma. She had actually done it. And in front of Killian Jones. She had been jealous of that filthy pirate hitting on Emma, and something in her just snapped. She wanted Killian to know Emma was unavailable even though nothing was official. She hope Emma wasn't angry with her.

They return to the house and Emma wordlessly wanders up stairs. Regina followed the blonde, hoping she wasn't about to lose Emma again. She thought they were finally on the same page, but maybe she had misread something.

They walked into the room before Emma pulled Regina close and kissed her. Properly this time. Regina's head was spinning by the time Emma pulled back.

"I've been wanting to do that since the moment I met you." Emma admits with a shy smile.

"Me too." Regina grinned before leaning in to kiss the blonde again.

"Finally!" Ruby exclaimed walking into the room. "I thought you two would never man up. Er, women up I guess."

Emma and Regina laugh. Emma asked Regina if she was hungry and the two wandered down the stairs to make dinner. They shared some smiles and gentle hand touches.

"Tyra Mail!" Mary Margaret called in excitement.

Regina was shocked that it was already time for another Tyra Mail. She suspected a photo shoot, but it hadn't even been a whole day since their challenge. The competition was definitely getting more intense.

" _It's all in the cards! -Fierce and Love, Tyra."_

Regina decided not to try and figure out what that meant. Tonight, she and Emma were going to hangout in the house hot tub with some wine. For tonight, she was going to pretend that they weren't in a competition.

Emma and Regina were sitting side by side in the hot tub with their glasses of wine. It was a beautiful night. The starry sky above them, and the warm air made it a perfect night to be outside.

"So, why law school?" Emma asked.

"I want to help people." Regina explained with a smile. "I used to dream of working for a non profit company and helping those in need."

"You'd be good at that." Emma told Regina. She took a piece of Regina's hair in between her fingers and twirled it around. "You'd be a badass lawyer."

"Maybe once I'm retired from modeling." Regina joked. She changed the subject. "What about you? If you weren't a model did you have a dream job as a child?"

"I wanted to be a bounty hunter when I was in high school." Emma chuckled. "I like the idea of a little danger, but I quickly decided that wasn't for me. Honestly, I always loved the idea of modeling. I just never thought I'd get here."

"You're a great model." Regina told her sincerely. "You have a natural ability, and you're so stunning."

"So are you." Emma grinned. She leaned over and gave Regina a quick peck on the lips. "This has been a great first date."

"This is a date?" Regina asked in amusement.

"It's as good as we're getting until this competition is over unfortunately." Emma replied. "But once this over, I'm going to show you the best date of your life."

"I look forward to it." Regina grinned.

Even if it wasn't the most conventional date, to Regina it was perfect. Regina was falling hard and fast. Faster than she had ever fallen for anyone, but it all felt so right. She just hoped the competition didn't tear them apart.

The next morning the girls were whisked away to their photo shoot. They were all tired from the previous day still. Regina tried to sleep on Emma's shoulder on the ride their, but she couldn't sleep.

"Welcome back ladies." Jay smiled at them. "I know it's been a busy few days, but we need energy today for this shoot!"

The girls all nodded. Regina was feeling a bit more awake after she'd gotten coffee on the set. She knew she just had to get through the shoot and then she could go home and sleep.

"Today, you're all going to be given a different major arcana from Tarot Cards to portray." Jay explained. "Emma you're card is The Sun. Mulan, Strength. Belle, Temperance. Regina, The Moon. Aurora, Death. Ruby, the Fool. Mary Margaret, the Lovers. Ella, the Hermit. Mal, Judgment. And Tink, the Hanged Man."

Regina was really excited for this photo shoot. She thought it was really creative, and loved that she and Emma had gotten the Sun and Moon cards. It was perfect. They went to hair and makeup and began getting ready for the photo shoot. Mary Margaret went first and she seemed to do really well. Aurora was next, and Regina could hear Jay constantly trying to help her. It seemed like she was struggling.

"Regina you're on deck!" Jay called over.

Regina headed over as they were pulling Tink onto set. Regina watched as the petite blonde flipped herself upside down and all over the place. She was taking a lot of risks. Regina could tell that Tink was improving in this competition.

"Honestly, you nailed it." Jay told her.

Regina knew it would be a tough act to follow, but she felt confident in her modeling and she had a lot of energy. She gave Jay a lot of poses to choose from and worked on her face angles. The set had a mirror on it, and Regina knew some of the interpretations for the moon card was self reflection. She used the mirror and tried to do some shots of staring at her reflection.

"Really great job." Jay smiled. "You gave a lot of variety, and I am really happy with today's shoot for you."

Regina felt good leaving the set. Emma was up next so Regina stayed to watch. The Sun card was more joyful and Emma looked like a Golden Queen on set. She gave them a lot of energy, and seemed to have fun with it. Jay told her she did a good job too. Regina hoped they were both safe, but she knew you could never know for sure.

Judging was a few days later. A few girls seemed nervous. Judging put everyone on edge, and Regina was feeling less confident. She knew she had done well, but growing up with Cora as her mother made Regina doubt herself.

"Hello ladies." Tyra greeted with a smile. "You have all had a busy week. A challenge and a photo shoot right in a row. But you all survive. Unfortunately one of you will be leaving tonight, and it's time to determine who. First up is Mal."

Mal's photo was pretty good. Regina thought she had done worse from the way she talked, but her picture looked amazing. Aurora was called up next, and she got a lot of negative feedback. Regina felt sorry for her, because she knew Aurora wanted this so badly. It kept going down the line. Tink had been told this was her best photoshoot yet. Regina was proud of the girl for stepping up her game.

"Emma you're next." Tyra said. Emma came up as they put her photo on the screen. "Emma this was a great shoot for you! You had so much energy and I could tell from your film that you had fun. Something this week must have inspired you, because I was blown away by the happiness in your film. A model's job is to sell, and I would buy whatever you were selling."

Regina's heart swelled. Emma was happy in her film, and Regina knew why. This week had inspired Emma, and it made Regina so happy to know it was because of their relationship.

"Last but not least is Regina." Tyra called. "Regina, here is your photo."

Regina was pleased to see that they had chosen the reflection photo. It had turned out better than Regina had thought, and she hoped the judges liked it as well.

"I was so happy to see the variety you gave." Tyra told her. "You tried so many poses and faces."

"A photographer wants a client who can give him choices." Nigel stated. "And to be doing that puts you ahead. Well done, this is genius. You really studied the meaning of your card. I'm impressed."

Regina was relieved. She and Emma had both gotten good feedback, and she felt certain they were both staying in the competition together. She would feel bad for whoever had to leave, but part of her would just be happy she and Emma were still here together.

They were called back in soon to find out who would be sent home. Tyra stood in front of them like always. She held the photos in her hands and began the elimination process.

"I only have nine photos in my hands, and these photos represent the nine of you that will still be in the running toward becoming America's Next Top Model. The girl that I do not call must immediately return to your house, pack your bags and go home." Tyra tells them. "First up, is someone who showed us real emotion in their photo. Emma."

Regina grinned. She was happy that Emma got first photo this week. She deserved it. Emma walked up and took her place on the side.

"Runner up is someone you all need to watch out for because she is in this to win this, Tink." Tyra called. "Regina. Ella. Mal. Ruby. Mary Margaret. Belle."

It was shocking to see Mulan standing in the bottom two. Her photo had been weak and her Tarot Card was supposed to be Strength. Up until now, Regina had thought Mulan was doing great.

"Will Mulan and Aurora please step forward." The two came up to Tyra, knowing one of them would be eliminated. "Mulan, you are falling back. We are worried that this competition is getting the best of you. Aurora, we know you want this, but we're not sure modeling is for you. So who stays in this competition? Aurora, unfortunately we don't think you are ready for this, and so Mulan, you will stay."

Regina felt awful when she saw Aurora start to cry. She knew this competition meant so much to her. As badly as Regina wanted to win, she hated that others had to be told they weren't good enough.

*REGINA CONFESSIONAL*

"I keep doing well in this competition and wondering if I deserve it. I'm here because I want to be, but what if someone wants it more? Someone like Emma who has worked her whole life to get to this place. I couldn't even bare the thought of taking this away from her."

 **A/N I know I didn't use all of the major arcana, but the idea of using Tarot Cards was something that came to me and I thought it would be cool. Photo shoot ideas are hard to come up with so if you have one, help a girl out lol hope you like our new couple ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

Week Six:

 **Emma-**

Regina and Emma had spent the past few days enjoying their new found relationship. All the girls knew they were together now, but only a few had really talked about it. So far, no one had been rude or disrespectful, which was nice. If anything, some of the girls seemed a little envious that Regina and Emma had someone to lean on in such a stressful situation.

The girls received a Tyra mail about their next challenge. The clue gave it away that it would have something to do with posing. Emma knew Regina was a strong poser, and that Mary Margaret had been practicing every day. Emma wasn't expecting to win, but she hoped she could at least do a good job.

When the limo pulled up to an agility course, Emma was shocked. This had not been what she was expecting. Obviously they hadn't been completely right when they guessed the clue.

"Good morning, ladies." Jay smiled at them. "We have a fun little challenge for you today. Behind me is, as you can see, an agility course. In modeling, sets can get complicated, and you have to learn how to use them. So, each girl will make her way through this course, but when she hears the blare of the ANTM horn, she must stop and strike a pose. The girl that does the best will win a great prize. So, up first is Mary Margaret."

Emma and Regina sat together as the other models made their way through the course. It was entertaining to watch. Mal had gotten tangled in the ropes and couldn't finish the course. Belle had missed a horn blow, and was disqualified. Mulan moved through the course with grace and elegance. Ruby had also done a pretty good job, but she was a little shaky on her last pose.

"Okay, Emma, you're up." Jay announced.

Emma made her way to the course starting line. Regina gave her a thumbs up for encouragement. Emma sighed, and began to make her way over the first obstacle, a rock wall. The horn blew and she held a pose at the top of the wall. She made it through the next two obstacles before the horn blew on the rope bridge. Emma gave a half hearted pose, but she could feel the exhaustion hit. She couldn't believe how tiring this challenge was. She was glad when she finally finished.

Tink was called next. Tink made it to the last obstacle, but her poses were definitely weak. Ella went next, but she couldn't get over the rock wall. It was too bad, because Emma knew Ella had some strong poses.

Last up was Regina. Emma wished her luck, and hoped Regina did well. Regina climbed the wall with grace, and easily made a strong pose at the end. Emma watched with pride as Regina hit pose after pose on the obstacles. Finally, Regina hit the last obstacle and landed one last beautiful pose.

"Way to go everyone, I know that wasn't easy!" Jay told them with a smile. "There were a few of you that did really, really great. But, as you know we can only have one winner. Mulan, you win a fabulous dinner at The Castle for you and two friends. Who would you like to bring?"

"I am so excited." Mulan smiled. "Uhm, I'm gonna bring Ruby and Regina."

Emma felt a surge of jealousy. Even though she knew Regina had no feelings for Mulan, she still thought about Mulan kissing Regina. She wished that she was going to dinner as well, but at least Regina would have a nice night out.

Mulan, Regina and Ruby had been shuffled right to dinner, so Emma was hanging out by herself. She was sulking a bit, even though she knew there was nothing to be upset about. Regina didn't have a choice, and she deserved to go out after doing so well in the challenge.

"Hey." Emma looked up to see Mary Margaret. The pixie hair woman had become a mother figure in the house. Emma had found that Mary Margaret had been easy to talk to and had a kind heart.

"Hey." Emma smiled.

Mary Margaret crossed the room and came to sit beside Emma. The blonde made room for her competitor. Emma had a feeling Mary Margaret knew that Emma was a bit upset, and was coming to try and cheer her up.

"You okay?" Mary Margaret asked.

"I'm fine." Emma shrugged. "Do I love the thought of Regina and Mulan having dinner together, no, but it's not like I need to worry."

"Regina only wants you." Mary Margaret assured Emma. "Everyone knows that. Mulan picked her because Regina clearly did well in the challenge. Besides, Ruby is the number one Swan Queen shipped, she's not going to let Mulan try and steal your girl."

"Swan Queen?" Emma chuckled.

"That's what we call you." Mary Margaret grinned proudly. "You know because of the first shoot with Regina as the Queen, and you're Emma Swan...so, yeah. Swan Queen."

"I like it." Emma laughed.

"Hey." Emma looked up to that Regina was back from dinner.

"I'll leave you two be." Mary Margaret smiled at them before leaving the room.

Regina kicked off her shoes before climbing onto the bed next to Emma. Emma cuddled up next to the brunette. She'd only been gone a few hours, but Emma had missed Regina's presence.

"How was dinner?" Emma asked.

"It would have been better with you there." Regina replied truthfully.

With that, all jealousy was gone. Emma's smile grew even wider. She and Regina were together, and no one would come between them. Emma was confident in that.

*EMMA CONFESSIONAL*

"I feel like having Regina with me in this competition is making things easier. She is just an amazing person and has been my rock these past few weeks. I am so lucky to have her by my side."

 **Regina-**

The girls were all eating breakfast together the next morning. Ella and Mary Margaret had decided to cook for everyone. Ella had a one year old daughter at home, and it was clear she missed her. Regina had talked to Ella once about it, and found it very admiring. Ella had Alexandria when she was only 17, but Ella and her boyfriend put their lives on hold for their baby. Thomas had told Ella it was time for her to chase her dreams, and here she was.

"So, what is everyone looking forward to when they get home?" Mary Margaret asked all the girls while they sat around the table.

"Seeing Alex." Ella smiled. "And Thomas. I miss them so much, but I know I'm here to provide better for my family."

"I can't wait to eat a nice grilled cheese and some onion rings." Emma grinned. Everyone chuckled.

"I can't wait for sex." Ruby admitted.

"Some of us don't have to wait." Mal muttered under her breath.

"Excuse me?" Emma gasped.

"I mean, it's gross. The two of you all over each other. Not everyone wants to see that." Mal replied. Before Emma or Regina could speak, everyone came to their defense.

"Woah, they are not all over each other." Belle stated.

"Do you have an issue with them?" Ruby demanded.

"I just don't feel comfortable with them in the house, and I'm going to make sure Tyra knows it." Mal said firmly. "I am not here to be friends with any of you. I'm here to win, not hang out with you want-to-be-models. I am not looking forward to anything when I go home, because I'm not going home. I'm here to win."

With that Mal stood up and left the room. An awkward silence settled over. Emma took Regina's hand. Regina had never faced any sort of hate like this before. She had been sheltered her whole life, and hadn't came out as a lesbian before. Now, hearing those words about her was unsettling.

"Don't listen to her." Mulan told them gently. "She's a bitch."

"Yeah, none of us feel that way." Tink agreed. "Mal is a mean girl. She's not going to win this competition. You two are people that little girls and people in the LGBT community to look up to. Mal is scared because she knows she isn't a role model."

It made Regina feel better when she saw the other girls nodded their heads in agreement. A moment later, all of the girls stood and gathered around Emma and Regina. They all brought them into a group hug that made Regina's heart swell. She realized that even those these girls were her competition, they were her friends too. And she cared about them. If she lost to one of these girls, she would lose knowing they deserved it just as much as she did.

That night the girls received another Tyra Mail. Mal had stayed alone in her room all day while the other girls had enjoyed one another's company. The atmosphere was better without Mal, and when she came to read the message, the tension filled the air like smoke.

 _So you think you can dance? Fierce and Love, Tyra._

Regina felt like she had this one in the bag. With her dance background, she had an upper hand. She just hoped that the other girls would do better than Mal.

The next morning, the girls were ushered to their photoshoot. The ride there was awkward as Mal gave all the girls dirty looks. She was making most of the girls feel uncomfortable. It was clear that everyone wanted her to go home.

"Welcome to your photoshoot today, ladies." Jay greeted. "As you probably guessed your theme is dance today. We want you to remember the challenge about posing and use that in your photos today. So, you will all have a different type of dance to represent in your pictures. Emma, tango. Mulan, tap. Regina, hip hop. Mal, disco. Ella, ballet. Tink, break dancing. Ruby, swing. And last but not least Mary Margaret, jive."

Regina was disappointed that she didn't get ballet, but she was ready for the challenge. She helped some of the girls learn some moves and a bit about their style. Mal sat in a corner and didn't even attempt to work on her dance moves. Ella struggled with some of the ballet poses, but Regina showed her how to cheat them a bit.

Mulan was called up for the first photo and Regina watched as she nailed every pose. Mulan hadn't had any dance experience, but she was graceful, and picked up quick. Ruby came next, and they told her she was being too sexy. Ella nailed the tricks Regina gave. Emma managed to keep her face soft, and Regina knew she got a good picture. Tink struggled a bit with the break dancing, and Regina had admittedly not been much help with the style, but Regina was sure Tink still got a good picture.

"Regina, you're up." Jay called. "I know hip hop isn't what you have the most background with, but trust in your ability."

Regina took his advice. She found a rhythm and managed to land some poses. It wasn't her best shot, but she knew she did well. Mary Margaret had a great shoot with the hand jive poses, but she struggled to get the right face. Mal did decent, but Jay seemed to notice a change in her attitude. Regina hoped her brought it up to Tyra.

Panel was the next night. The girls all stood in line as Tyra greeted them like usual. Once she had finished the greetings she started to call the girls forward.

"Up first is Emma." Tyra announced. "Emma your face is killer in this photo. The pose could be a little stronger, but I still think you did a great job."

The girls kept getting called up. The judges loved Mulan's photo. Regina was proud of how well the other girls had done this week. Finally, they called up Mal. Regina crossed her fingers.

"Mal, Jay sayed you seemed angry on set, and I think we see it in your eyes here." Tyra stated.

"Was something wrong?" Nigel asked. "Something that distracted you?"

"Yes, actually." Mal said. Regina held her breath. "There's two girls in the house that make me extremely uncomfortable. You should know that Emma and Regina are a couple and that-"

"Wait a moment." Tyra cut Mal off. "Do you have an issue with an LGBT couple?"

"I just don't think they should be able to flaunt it." Mal replied. "It's unprofessional."

"What about when I kiss my boyfriend?" Tyra asked. "Does that bother you."

"No." Mal shrugged.

"Okay, please return to your place." Tyra said. "Regina, you're up. Now, I know about you and Emma, but if there's anything you'd like to say, now would be the time to do so."

"A lot of the girls in the house feel that Mal makes us uncomfortable." Regina admitted. "She called Emma and I out at breakfast, and it's really hard to be in the house with her. Emma and I don't flaunt anything, and none of the other girls have felt this way about us."

"Well, thank you for your honesty." Tyra replied gently. "I want you to know that you have nothing to be ashamed of, and that your relationship with Emma has nothing to do with how you two do in this competition."

"Your photo is stunning." Nigel told her. "I know you have a dance background and you used it to your advantage."

"I do think you show a bit too much composure for it to be hip hop." Tyra replied. "You can see how the ballet is coming through."

After Regina was done, the judges sent them out to deliberate. Despite what Tyra had said, Regina was nervous. Mal had attacked her relationship and brought it to panel. Emma was shaking her leg nervously as they waited. Regina grabbed her girlfriend's hand to help sooth her. Regina just hoped she and Emma would remain in this competition.

The girls are finally called back to the room. Tyra stands before them with the stack of pictures just like she did every week. Regina and Emma stand side by side waiting for the results.

"I only have eight photos in my hands, and these photos represent the eight of you that will still be in the running toward becoming America's Next Top Model. The girl that I do not call must immediately return to your house, pack your bags and go home." Tyra tells them. "Best photo this week goes to Mulan. Runner up, Ella. Mary Margaret. Emma. Belle. Regina. Tink."

Regina's heart dropped when she saw that Ruby was in the bottom. She held her breath. All she could do was hope that Ruby stayed and Mal was finally sent home.

"Ruby, Mal. You two struggled this week for two very different reasons. Ruby, this week we saw far too much sexy in your pictures. We are concerned that you will be unable to bring that down. Mal, you showed all of your anger in your eyes this week. On top of that you have a prejudice against two girls in this competition." Tyra began. "Top Model is about being a role model to all different people out there. One of you has that potential. The other, lost any chance she had of winning this week because she outcasted two competitors. That's not what a role model would do. So Mal, you may go and pack your bags. Ruby, you get another chance to prove that you have it in you to be versatile."

*REGINA CONFESSIONAL*

"I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my chest. Knowing that Mal left because of her disrimination makes me feel so much lighter. I know now that whoever wins is going to be someone caring and deserving. All the other girls are great and I am so glad that I have gotten to know them. They support Emma and I and that's just such a good feeling to have people supporting us. The dragon lady is gone!"

 **A/N MAL IS FINALL GONE! A new character will enter in the next chapter and she might be a threat to our happy couple... -Kaila**


	7. Chapter 7

Week Seven:

 **Emma-**

The house had a new vibe with Mal gone. It was much calmer and more comfortable. Yes, it was still a competition, but it felt more fair now. If Mal had one Emma would have lost all faith in the Top Model competition. Hearing Tyra support her and Regina, though, and to kick Mal out because of her hate made Emma feel like she had a chance. All the girls left had a good chance of winning, and Emma would be okay with any of them winning. She wanted to be the winner, of course, but she knew in her heart that other girls deserved it just as much as she did.

"I can't believe the dragon is finally gone." Regina sighed as they sat in the common room with the other girls.

"She told me I'm too feminine to win." Mary Margaret revealed with a sad look.

"Mal made me feel like I couldn't be a mom and a model at the same time." Ella added.

"I think she targeted all of us at one point or another." Emma said with a shake of her head. "That girl had serious issues."

"At least she's gone now." Belle smiled.

"And now the real competition can start." Ruby stated.

"Yeah, with people who deserve to win." Tink agreed.

"I sincerely wish all of you luck." Mulan told them. "May the best model win."

The girls woke up the next morning to a Tyra mail. Emma knew the competition was going to get harder now. It was down to the eight best girls now. There was no more playing around.

 _Top models of the past like to come out and play. Fierce and Love, Tyra_

That made Emma nervous. She wondered if previous show contestants were going to be a part of the challenge. Emma was intimidated by the thought of meeting other models. She still felt like she was learning the ropes, and didn't want to look like an idiot.

"You'll be fine." Regina assured her as the two laid nose to nose on Regina's bed. "You're a great model, Em. If you weren't, you wouldn't be here."

"I just feel like every week gets harder, and I'm worried I'm not improving." Emma admitted. Regina rubbed her nose against Emma's. "I don't want to be a failure."

"You could never be a failure, Emma Swan. You are strong, and persistent, and you have come light years from where you started." Regina told her firmly.

"You'll still like me if I make a fool out of myself in front of world famous models?" Emma asked. Regina chuckled.

"Only if you still like me."

"Please, you could curse an entire realm and I'd still like you." Emma teased.

"Careful, I am the evil queen." Regina winked.

Emma laughed. Moments like this made the competition feel much lighter. She knew that no matter what happened in the competition, the best thing to come out of it would be finding Regina Mills.

Regina leaned in and kissed Emma. Emma smiled into the kissed and pulled Regina closer by her waist. Emma couldn't wait until they were out of the competition and had time to really be alone.

"You know," Emma smiled as the kiss ended. "We're doing this all backwards. We live together before we've even been on a real date."

"The hot tub wasn't a real date?" Regina teased.

"You know what I mean, dork." Emma replied.

"Well, I'd say given the circumstances, we're doing pretty well." Regina replied. She nuzzled into the blonde again. "I like doing things backwards."

Emma wondered how on earth she had gotten so damn lucky.

The girls had been told to dress like they were going to a party. Emma had packed a dark pink dress and her favorite black high heels. She hadn't worn this dress since her birthday, but it still fit her curvy hips perfectly. Regina, on the other hand, had decided on a red jumpsuit with a plunging neckline. It made Emma feel weak at the knees.

"Wow, you look, really, really, good in that." Emma practically drooled when Regina exited the bathroom.

"You clean up pretty nice yourself, Miss. Swan." Regina smiled.

The two joined the other girls in the limo. They all discussed how excited they were for the challenge. The girls were shuttled to a large mansion just outside of Storybrooke. It looked like something a Hollywood star would live. Inside, it was clear that a large and fabulous party was taking place.

Jay was waiting outside for them. He was dressed in a sleak, gray suit. Beside him was Nigel. The girls knew this was going to be a challenge like no other. It was terrifying and exciting all at once.

"You all look lovely!" Jay complimented. "As you can see, behind me in an exclusive fashion party. One that you will all be attending."

"Inside are some of the worlds most influential models, agents, and clients." Nigel added. "You won't know who is judging you."

"We have secret judges scoring each of you. So work hard to impress, because the girl with the best score will be the winner of today's challenge and will receive an amazing prize." Jay finished. "Now get in there and make us proud."

Emma stuck close to Regina as the entered the party. Emma was not used to this type of crowd. She was still nervous about doing something stupid and embarassing herself. Regina had grabbed them each a glass of champagne and led Emma around the party. They talked people, and Emma remembered to be herself.

"You're a new model?" One of the designers asked Emma.

"I am." She confirmed with a smile. "I'm still learning the ropes a bit, but I find myself feeling more and more confident each shoot."

The designer smiled. Regina gave Emma a nod, and Emma knew she had answered right. This was going much easier than she had thought it would. She found that she fit in with this crowd more than she had expected herself to. As long as she let herself just be Emma, she was fine.

"Okay, let's make our way to the back." Regina suggested. "All the other girls are up here, I bet if we go back there will be the first to make impressions on that side of the party."

"Good plan." Emma agreed.

The girls were stopped by a few people on there way back. They smiled and chatted before continuing on. The party was actually really fun. Emma was glad she had Regina with her to make it easier. She would have had a hard time opening up if Regina hadn't been by her side.

"Regina!" A voice called. "Darling over her."

Emma felt Regina freeze and go stiff beside her. The voice was coming closer as whoever it was pushed through the crowd. Before Emma could ask Regina what was wrong, Regina spoke.

"Mother." She gasped.

Cora Mills pulled her daughter in for a few pecks on the cheek. Emma was unsure how to act, so she stood there, silently. Of course Cora Mills would be at the most prestigious party of the year. Emma wasn't sure why she was so surprised by it.

"Look at you, you look like a real model now." Cora gushed over her daugher. "I knew you'd take this competition by the horns."

"It's nice to see you, Mother." Regina said in a voice Emma had never heard before. It was much cooler than Emma cared for.

"Who is this?" Cora asked looking at Emma. Her eyes made a shiver run down Emma's spine.

"This is Emma, she's a fellow model." Regina stated, not giving too much away.

"It's nice to meet you." Emma smiled. "You really are an inspiration."

"Regina, tell me you're not letting yourself get distracted." Cora sighed with a hint of disappointment. "I thought that whole part of your life was a phase."

"Mother, Emma and I may be in a competition, but that doesn't mean we can't be friends." Regina tried to reason with her mother, she didn't want a scene at this party.

"Just friends? Like you were just friends with Victoria Belfrey?" Cora demanded, raising her voice. "I found the two of you going at it like teenagers!"

"I was a teenager!" Regina exclaimed.

"And you've learned nothing since then!" Cora hollered back. People were beginning to watch as Cora took a step closer to her daughter. "I will not let you through it all away for a white trash little-"

"Okay, that's enough." Jay approached and interrupted the fight between the mother and daughter duo. Emma had never been more relieved to see him. "All my girls, let's go. Party is over for ANTM."

"This isn't over, Regina." Cora warned. Regina ignored her and stayed close behind Jay.

The girls all gathered together and followed Jay out the door. No one said a word as the loaded the limo. Emma gripped Regina's hand, hoping to provide some comfort to her girlfriend.

Jay and Nigel were waiting for the models back at their house. Emma had almost forgotten about the challenge. Everything about the party was kind of like a blur now. She just kept seeing the fear in Regina's eyes when she Cora yelled at her. Emma knew what an abusive relationship looked like, and Cora was clearly not a warm mother.

"Okay, so, obviously things got a little weird at the party. Regina, you okay?" Nigel asked.

"I'm fine." Regina said. "I just wasn't expecting my mother to be there."

"Neither were we." Nigel stated. "We apologize for that."

"You couldn't have known." Regina shrugged.

"We do have a challenge to discuss." Jay said. "Now that we have all had a chance to relax from what happened, I'm going to give you some feedback. Emma and Regina, sticking together worked well. You were a good balance for one another. Ella, you were bubbly and bright, and seemed to be good at making connections with the people. Mary Margaret you had great energy, but seemed a bit insecure. Mulan, you had a hard exterior people couldn't get through. Belle, you were very beautiful, but a bit shy. Ruby, very friendly, and you made people laugh. And Tink, they loved your unique look, but seemed a bit nervous."

"We can only have one winner." Nigel reminded them. "And she will win a private photo shoot with me that will be on a billboard for the town of Storybrooke. So, Jay, who is the winner?"

"The winner is, Ella." Jay announced.

The girls all clapped. It was nice to Ella emerge as a winner. She was coming a long way, and Emma knew Ella was becoming major competition. The judges loved to see improvement, and Ella was definitely improving week by week.

*EMMA CONFESSIONAL*

"The party was crazy. I didn't expect Cora to be so cold. I mean, Regina's never said anything, but I knew her mother was controlling. She wouldn't let Regina go to law school and now she wants to control who Regina dates? I don't want to make things any worse for Regina. Would it be better if I called things off?"

 **Regina-**

After Jay and Nigel left, Regina went to take a long hot shower. The other girls were cautious around her. They must have sensed how upset she was. The only person Regina wanted was Emma, but it seemed like the blonde was pulling away a bit. Regina couldn't allow that to happen.

When Regina finishes her shower, she feels better. As long as she was in this competition, Cora couldn't get to her. All she had to do was finish this, and then Cora wouldn't be able to do a thing. If she won, she'd be a top model and there was nothing Cora could want more. Plus, Cora wouldn't dare touch Regina if she was in the spotlight. If she lost and disappointed Cora, at least she knew she'd done her best. And then, maybe Cora would finally give up.

"Hey." Regina said to Emma when she entered the room.

"Oh, hi." Emma gave a half hearted smile. "How was your shower?"

"Refreshing, I feel better." Regina told the blonde with a smile.

"Look, Regina, if you want to stop this, I get it." Emma began. "I don't want to make things any more complicated for you then they already are."

"No." Regina said firmly. "Emma, absolutely not. Cora has taken so much from me, and I won't let her take you too. I want to be with you."

"Are you sure?" Emma asked with uncertainty. Regina sat on the bed and cupped Emma's face in her hands.

"More sure than I have ever been." Regina assured her girlfriend. She leans in and gives Emma a quick peck on the lips. "Now scootch over. It's been a long day, and I need cuddles and some sleep."

Regina was putting what happened with her mother behind her. She was going to put all her focus in the rest of the competition and her relationship with Emma. Cora Mills had dictated Regina's whole life, and it was about time that the brunette started living her life the way _she_ wanted.

All of the girls had checked in on Regina to make sure she was alright. She assured them that she was fine and expressed her gratitude. She had made some great friends here, and it was nice to see that they cared so much for her.

A Tyra mail came the next night to inform them of their photoshoot. Regina was relieved that they had another shoot. The more they had, the closer they got to the end. Even though each week got harder and harder to say goodbye to someone. For now though, they all sat around trying to figure out what the clue meant.

 _Don't be blinded by the city lights! Fierce and Love, Tyra._

Regina knew it could mean a number of things. She also knew that they were getting close to travelling. Every cycle of ANTM, the top six girls would travel abroad for the remainder of the competition. There were still eight girls left, but maybe things were getting shaken up this cycle. You could never be sure.

"Where do you think we'll travel to?" Tink asked.

"I don't know." Ruby shrugged. "I was hoping Avalon."

"What about Arendelle?" Emma suggested. "They have a lot of up and becoming trends going on."

"Ugh too cold." Belle pointed out.

"I want to go somewhere tropical." Mary Margaret smiled with a dreamy look in her eye.

"Me too." Regina agreed with a smile.

"Te fiti would be nice." Ella said.

"I agree!" Emma said.

"It's sad to think two of us most likely won't be going." Ruby realized sadly.

"I don't want to think about it." Mulan sighed.

Neither did Regina. She knew the next eliminations were going to be hard. Her friends would be leaving or she would. The more the weeks went by, the sadder it got to see someone's dreams end. She hated it.

"I think I'm gonna sleep." Belle yawned. "I don't want to be sleepy at the shoot tomorrow."

"Good idea." Emma agreed.

Everyone followed Belle's lead. Tomorrow would bring a new day and a new photoshoot. Regina just hoped she did well enough to keep herself in the competition with Emma.

The next day, bright and early, the girls arrived at their shoot. Despite turning in early, the girls were all tired. The competition was getting more and more exhausting each week. But, it would be over soon, and they were all trying to enjoy it, even on early days.

"Good morning." Jay greeted. "I know it's early, but we have a great shoot today."

Regina perked up. Jay sounded excited about the shoot, and that made her excited. It was nice that Jay always brought energy to each set. It put her in a good mood, and made her eager to get a good picture.

"Each of you will be given a famous city as the backdrop for your shoot." Jay told them. "We picked cities from all over the world to show different cultures and traditions. You will be dressed as tourists taking in these cities for the first time. So, without further ado, Emma your city is Bali. Ella, Rio De Janeiro. Mary Margaret, Sydney. Mulan, Barcelona. Tink, Nairobi. Regina, Paris. Ruby, Santorini. And Belle, Tokyo."

Regina was excited that she had been given Paris. It was the city of love, and love was something she could portray easily these days. She knew this was a shoot she would do well with. She just needed to remember to look soft and elegant.

Regina was called first for her picture, and she was excited to be first up. She was less nervous if she went before seeing the other girls do their pictures. It also gave her an opportunity to set a bar.

"Alright, Regina, knock it out of the park like usual." Jay directed with a smile.

Regina did as she was told. She put herself in the place of a love sick tourist. She kept thinking of Emma, and how much she would love to be in Paris with her. She didn't even have to think of keeping her face soft, it came natural when she thought of the blonde.

"Oh my goodness, that was amazing." Jay commented. "Seriously, so many good shots. I can't even look at you because that was so disgustingly good."

Regina felt amazing knowing that her shoot had gone well. Mulan was up next so Regina stayed to watch. It started off extremely awkward. Mulan hardly did any posing. She stood there looking lost, and not like a lost tourist. Jay gave her some instructions, but it seemed like the shoot was too far gone. Mulan left the set looking defeated.

"Hey, maybe you got a shot the judges will love." Regina tried to comfort.

"I don't think so." Mulan said sadly. "Thanks, though. I appreciate you trying to make me feel better."

Emma was called up next. Her background was a beautiful beach in Bali. Emma fit right in with the backdrop. Regina watched as Jay gave Emma some direction and Emma took off with it. Jay told her she captured what they were looking for. Regina was proud that her girlfriend did well.

"Belle's next. She said she doesn't feel good." Emma informed Regina when she exited the set. "Hopefully she can pull it off."

Belle definitely struggled. It looked as if she had given up. Jay said they ended up getting one good shot on accident, but it didn't sound good. Emma and Regina looked at one another and knew, Belle could be in the bottom this week.

Panel had a different feel. Now that Mal was gone, there was no one Regina would be happy to see go. Everyone was more sad as they entered the judging room, knowing someone would leave at the end of the night.

"Alright ladies, first up is Tink." Tyra announced.

They complimented Tink's ability to get into character. Next was Ruby, and they said she definitely proved herself from last week. Her picture with Greece as a backdrop proved she could be a high fashion model. Mulan was called up and the judges told her they were disappointed with her lack of movement.

"Regina, you're up." Tyra called. "Now, before we see your picture, I just wanted to see how you were after seeing your mother at the party. I heard there was some tension."

"There was." Regina admitted. "It was hard at first, but I am going to put it behind me and focus on this competition."

"Well, if you need anything, let me know." Tyra smiled. "Now your picture, is stunning."

"Wow." Nigel said looking at the elegance in Regina's face. "You continue to amaze me each week. Is there anything you can't do?"

Regina felt good know her picture had turned out well. Next was Belle and they told her that they could see the sleep in her eyes. It made Regina sad because even in front of the judges, Belle just seemed to be tired. Next they called up Emma.

"This is a new side of you." Tyra said. "You are learning your angles, and working them."

"This is a great shot." Another judge agreed. "Wonderful job."

They finished calling up the girls before dismissing them all to reach a decision. While Regina felt confident that she and Emma were safe this week, she worried for Mulana and Belle. They had fallen way back this week, and Regina wondered which one would be sent home.

Finally, after what felt like forever, the girls were called in. Even if she knew she did well, elimination always made Regina nervous. She just never knew for sure what would happen when Tyra started calling their names.

"I only have seven photos in my hands, and these photos represent the seven of you that will still be in the running toward becoming America's Next Top Model. The girl that I do not call must immediately return to your house, pack your bags and go home." Tyra tells them. "Best photo goes to, Regina. Ella. Emma. Ruby. Mary Margaret. Tink. Will Belle and Mulan please step forward."

Regina held her breath as her friends stepped up to Tyra. Her stomach was in knots as she saw the tears in Belle's eyes. Mulan was trying not to show her emotions, but it was clear that she was worried.

"You both slipped up this week in both the challenge and the photoshoot." Tyra began. "Mulan, you are so amazing, but you keep yourself so closed off from the rest of the world. And Belle, you are stunning, but you are shy and afraid. Both of you girls have so much potential and seeing you in the bottom makes our choice as judges so hard. But, we feel that a tough choice had to be made tonight, and you both will be packing your bags and going home."

The girls all gasped. They hadn't seen a double elimination coming. It was awful to watch one girl leave, let alone two. Mulan and Belle were given a chance to come and say goodbye to the girls. Regina hugged them both tight and wished them well. The girls cried as Mulana and Belle left the room for the last time.

"I know that was hard." Tyra said sadly. "But, it brings us closer to determining a winner. And now, you six finalists must go home, because you will also be packing. But, you're not going home...you're going to Enchanted Forest!"

*REGINA CONFESSIONAL*

"I am going to miss Mulan and Belle so much, but I wish them all the best! I know we will keep in touch. In the meantime, I am going to Enchanted Forest! I have always wanted to go and I cannot wait to see it in real life! It's romantic and beautiful, and like something out of a fairytale! I know Emma and I will have the time of our lives!

 **A/N Phew. That's done. I am going on Vacation at the end of the week and may not be able to update until I return, so enjoy this chapter! Next time the girls will arrive in EF! We will have some more fluffy Emma and Regina moments :) What did you all think of my introduction to Cora? Don't worry, that's not the last we've seen of her ;) -Kaila**


	8. Chapter 8

Week Eight:

 **Emma-**

Emma could hardly contain her excitement. She was going to Enchanted Forest! It was one of the most up and becoming fashion capitals of the world because of it's bizarre style trends. It was also considered one of the most romantic places in the world. Emma had never even been abroad before. She had lived in Boston her whole life, and had only ever travelled to Storybrooke for the Top Model competition.

"I've never been on a plane!" Emma revealed as she packed her bag. "I don't know if I'm more excited or anxious about it!"

"It's going to be fine." Regina assured her. "Hold my hand when we take off, and then sleep. It's an eight hour flight, and I don't imagine we'll have a lot of free time after we get off the plane."

"I won't be able to sleep, I'm way too jittery." Emma replied.

"We'll see about that, dear." Regina smirked.

The plane was finally taking off, and Emma was terrified. Not that she'd admit it, but flying freaked her out. She had a death grip on Regina's hand as they escalated into the sky. Her ears popped, and she wondered how long it would take before they were high enough.

"See, wasn't so bad, was it?" Regina asked once they had finally stopped ascending.

"I think you're right, I think I'm gonna sleep the rest of this flight away." Emma joked. Regina chuckled.

Emma laid her head on Regina's should and closed her eyes. She decided if she was going to die on this metal contraption, she was going to be comfortable.

In just a few minutes, Emma was fast asleep.

Emma woke a few hours later. Regina had her nose in a book. Emma smiled, at the sight. Regina rarely wore her glasses, but Emma found them to be very attractive. She wondered if she could convince her girlfriend to wear them more often once they were done with the competition.

"Morning sleepy head." Regina smiled when she noticed that the blonde was awake. "You have a nice nap?"

"How long was I out?" Emma asked as she stretched as best she could in the tight space.

"Couple hours." Regina replied.

"Ugh, when will this flight be over?"

"We have two hours and forty five minutes left." Regina replied. Emma grumbled which cause Regina to chuckle. "I know a way we can make this flight go faster."

Emma gave Regina wink and the brunette let out a rich, throaty laugh. She gave her girlfriend a playful shove.

"Not like that you dork!" Regina exclaimed. "I was thinking we could talk. Find out somethings we don't know about each other."

"Okay, like what?" Emma asked.

"I don't know. Anything. What's something you haven't told many people?" Regina asked.

"Well, I was in foster care basically my whole life. I had a family until I was three, but when they had their own child, they sent me back." Emma began. Regina squeezed her hand in a comforting manner. "When I was thirteen I ran away and tried to find my birth parents, but I got caught and sent to a group home. Most of the time I was ignored, but I lived in some not so good homes. When I turned 17 I got out of there for good and started trying to get into modeling."

"I'm so sorry, Emma." Regina told her softly. "How many homes were you in?"

"Nine in seventeen years." Emma said. "When I was little all I wanted was to have a family who loved me and didn't want to send me away."

"I know it's not the same, Emma, but you have me know. I will never send you away." Regina promised. "We're in this together."

"It's not what I imagined when I was six and wished on stars to send me someone, but now that I'm an adult ...well when I look at you it's more than anything I could have dreamed of." Emma replies.

The two smile at one another before they continue on talking. The rest of the flight did go by faster. As they told stories of their childhoods, teenage years, and anything else that came to mind, Regina felt she knew her girlfriend better. Emma told Regina things that she had even forgotten had happened. It was a nice break from the competition. Regina was looking forward to be doing here so that they could have a real date and learn even more about one another.

The plane landed and the girls were greeted by Tyra. They were all shocked to see her soon after landing, but it made it clear that they were getting right back into the competition.

"I'm sure you are already to see your new home here in Storybrooke." Tyra said to them. "But ...you have to find it first."

The girls looked at one another knowing this was not going to be easy. They definitely weren't going to just be handed the keys to their new home. This was still Top Model, however, and that meant that this would be a challenge.

"You and a partner will have to race around the city for clues to where your house is. The first pair to find it will win 50 extra frames each in the photo shoot!" Tyra explained. "Now you will be paired off as follows: Emma and Ella. Tink and Ruby. Mary Margaret and Regina. Off you go with the first clue."

The pairs were all given the first clue to follow. Emma was sad that Regina wasn't her partner because she knew how could her girlfriend was at puzzles. Sure enough, Mary Margaret and Regina were the first to decipher the clue and run off to find the second one.

 _Roses are red, violets are blue, I know who turns straw to gold, do you?_

"Rumple Gold!" Ella whispers in excitement. "He has a shop that just opened in Storybrooke!"

"Let's get a cab!" Emma replied as they hurried out the door.

Somehow, Emma and Ella ended up getting to the house last. They walked in and couldn't help but laugh. Even if they didn't win, it was still a lot of fun.

"Good job, Regina." Emma smiled. "And Mary Margaret."

"Actually, Tink and Ruby beat us." Mary Margaret replied. "Ruby figured out where Granny's diner was, and Tink was able to figure out the last clue ridiculously fast."

"That was fun." Tink grinned.

"It was." Emma agreed. "But now, I'm beat."

"Me too." Regina replied with a yawn. "I'm gonna shower and then sleep."

"Sleep sounds perfect." Ella stated.

"I'm sure tomorrow will be busy, we should all get some shut eye." Ruby suggested.

The girls all moved to claim their rooms and crawl into bed. Naturally Regina and Emma took one room. Mary Margaret and Ruby took the second room, and Ella and Tink shared the last one.

It was nice to have a little space of their own. Emma and Regina loved the other girls, but a room of their own was a definite perk of the new place. After her shower, Regina came in and snuggled next to Emma. They had taken the room with the large king bed, which meant they could cuddle up at night.

"I'd never have pegged you for a cuddler the first time I met you." Emma tells her girlfriend.

"Sh, don't tell me secret." Regina teases. Emma laughs.

"Whatever you say, babe."

*EMMA CONFESSIONAL*

"Being in this beautiful place with Regina has been amazing. I can't imagine not having her in my life now. No matter what happens in this competition, I will always be thankful that it gave me Regina. I am falling in love with her."

 **Regina-**

The morning after they arrived in Storybrooke, the girls received a Tyra mail. Regina knew it would be coming since they were bound to have a photoshoot soon.

 _Planes, Trains, and Automobiles….Fierce and Love, Tyra_

There were a lot of things that could mean. They all hope that they wouldn't be going anywhere. They were still recovering from the long flight to Storybrooke. Regina knew the Jetlag was still getting to her. She hoped it wouldn't affect her shoot.

The girls were shuttled to an old time looking train station. Jay greeted them outside it. They were excited to see their director here in Storybrooke with them. He could be harsh sometimes, but he always knew what he was talking about, and he cared about them. Regina knew he truly wanted to see them do well.

"Welcome to Storybrooke Station!" He said. "My top six girls, how does it feel?"

"Awesome!" Ruby exclaimed.

"You guys are nearing the end! We have a wonderful shoot today, so don't lose steam. This is not the time to get lazy!" He told them. "Today, you will be posing like you're trying to catch the train. You will be dressed like women from the 1930s, and the photo will be in black and white to give it an old time effect. Are we ready?"

The girls replied in excitement that they were ready to do this. They were sent to hair and makeup to get ready for their pictures. They were enjoying how cool it was that they were being taken back in time.

"Okay, Regina, you are lucky number one!" Jay called out.

Regina hurried over to the set. They perched her up on the steps to the train. Regina had to admit, this was going to be tricky. There's wasn't much wiggle room and her heels were getting caught in the holes of the steps.

"Regina, don't overthink it!" Jay told her "It doesn't have to be a literal waving down the train. Make it your own, and make it fashion."

"Got it!" Regina replied.

She stepped back for a moment and made herself think like a fashion magazine editor. What picture would they want? Something different. She sat down on the steps and angled herself against the railings to give herself shape.

"Oh gorgeous!" Jay called out.

After a few of those ones, she moved to perch over the railing like she was leaning. She moved to many angles so that there would be a variety to choose from.

"These were genius!" Jay complimented. "Once you got out of your own head, you turned into a high fashion model."

Regina felt good leaving the set. She returned to hair and makeup to hangout with the girls. Ella was called after Regina and the brunette wished her friend luck as she passed by.

"How was it?" Emma asked.

"A little harder than I thought." Regina warned the girls. "Watch out for your shoes on the platform."

The girls chatted as the got called one by one to set. Emma was the last to go and Regina went to watch her shoot. Emma struggled a bit at first to get comfortable, but she eventually found a good rhythm.

Finally the shoot was over and the girls were able to return back to their home. Regina couldn't imagine who would be leaving. Everyone was so good, and Regina cared about all of them. It would be sad saying goodbye to someone.

The next day the girls had a panel with the judges. Emma and Regina had done well in their shoot, but Mary Margaret had felt disappointed in how she did. Regina couldn't imagine they'd send Mary Margaret home. The woman was like a Disney Princess come to life.

"Alright ladies, welcome to the first judging here in Storybrooke." Tyra greeted them. "We'll get right to it, first up is Ella."

They went through Ella's comments before moving onto Ruby. They seemed a bit indifferent about Ruby's photo. They claimed she needed to show more emotion in her eyes. Next they called up Tink. Tink looked short in her picture, which was a down side because otherwise her photo was beautiful.

"Next up is Regina." Tyra called up. "Regina I love that you gave us SO much to choose from. Any job you get will appreciate variety."

"You definitely know your angles." Nigel said. "You make beautiful shapes and sell the garment."

Regina thanked them before returning to her place. They called up Mary Margaret next. They told her she was too posey and that she needed to learn to let it come naturally. One judge said he was worried if it was this late in the competition and they still had to tell her this. Regina felt bad for her.

"Emma, last but not least." Tyra called up. The picture they chose was of Emma's profile. It was a new look for her, but it was stunning. "Woah."

"I agree." Nigel said. "Emma, this is breathtaking. Even in black and white, the light hitting your face is phenomenal!"

Emma thanked them. They sent her back and then dismissed the girls so they could discuss. Regina felt confident that she and Emma weren't leaving, but one of their friends would not be so lucky.

The girls were called back into the judging room. Tyra stood before them holding a stack of photos. Regina wondered whose picture was missing from the pile.

"I only have five photos in my hands, and these photos represent the five of you that will still be in the running toward becoming America's Next Top Model. The girl that I do not call must immediately return to your house, pack your bags and go home." Tyra tells them. "Best photo goes to, Emma. Regina. Ella. Tink."

Regina held her breath. Mary Margaret and Ruby were the only two left. Regina couldn't believe that one of them would no longer be in the house or doing photoshoots with them.

"Mary Margaret, you are so striking. You capture the attention of anyone in the room when you walk in. But, you struggle to not be too much of an amature in your pictures, especially for a girl who made the top six. Ruby, you lack emotion in your eyes. You can't just have the model body, you have to show it in the face too. So, who stays in this competition? Ruby."

Mary Margaret gave Ruby a hug, but she was crying. It was awful to see the girl's dreams ending. She said goodbye to Tyra and then hugged her friends one last time.

*REGINA CONFESSIONAL*

"It was so sad to watch Mary Margaret leave. She is a wonderful friend and I am going to miss her. But, I have to be thankful that I am still here with the woman I am quickly falling in love with."

 **A/N: ugh I suck at updating lately. I am back at school and classes have been ROUGH. I will try and do better I promise! I hope you liked this chapter! -Kaila**


	9. Chapter 9

Week Nine: **Emma-** Mary Margaret's elimination shocked everyone. Emma had thought Mary Margaret looked like Snow White, and had been surprised when she had been sent home. Mary Margaret also embodied the traits of a top model. She was kind, compassionate, empathetic, and someone little girls could look up to. Emma was sad to see her friend leave. "I can't believe she got eliminated." Emma told Regina that night as they were getting ready to fall asleep. "I know." Regina agreed. "During the first week, I thought she'd be in the top three for sure." "Who do you think it'll be now?" Emma asked. "You, obviously. I hope myself. And at this point, my guess would be Ella." Regina replied. "I hope Ruby is the third." Emma stated. "She's been a good friend since the first week." "I guess we'll find out soon. As long as you don't go home, it'll all be fine." Regina yawned. Emma snuggled in closer to her girlfriend. Clearly the brunette was still getting over jet lag. Emma ran a finger through her girlfriend's beautiful raven colored locks. "Are you ready for sleep?" Emma asked. "No, no I'm good." Regina insisted, though the sleep in her voice gave her away. "Okay, maybe I'm a little tired." "Get some rest." Emma smiled and leaned down to kiss her girlfriend. Within a few moments, Regina's breathing had evened out. Emma watched as her chest continued to rise and fall. She couldn't get over how beautiful her girlfriend was. She felt so lucky, and...well. "Goodnight my queen." Emma whispered. "I love you." * * * * * * * * The next morning the girls were awoken to a large horn sound. The all dashed into the living room to see what was going on. There stood Nigel, camera in hand. "Morning girls." He greeted. "I hope you had a good night's rest, because I have a big event planned for you all today." "Are you taking our pictures again?" Ruby asked in excitement. "I am." He confirmed. "But, of course, there's a twist. For this challenge, you will be blindfolded, so you must model only with your body. The girl who does the best will get 100 extra frames at her next shoot, and she will pick one friend to get 50 extra frames, and that girl will pick another friend to get an extra 25 frames, make sense?" The girls all nodded. Nigel sent them off to get changed while he finished setting up. Emma was nervous that she wouldn't be able to see what she was doing. Her eyes were her strongest feature, according to the judges, and not being able to use them was definitely going to be a challenge. Emma knew Regina and Tink would be the biggest competition in this challenge. Regina was the queen of posing, and Tink had been nailing different poses the past few weeks. Ruby would have to work on not being too sexy. Ella would need to ensure that her poses were strong and not half assed. Emma needed herself, which was easier said than done. "Ruby, you're first." Nigel called out. The other girls watched Ruby move into different poses. Nigel kept reminding her to be careful about her poses, but she didn't seem to be catching on. Emma was worried for her friend, she really seemed to struggle with this challenge, and Emma hoped she could make it up in the photo shoot. "Ella. You're up." The girls wished Ella luck as she walked up to the set. Nigel's assistant placed the blind-fold on her eyes and she began posing. Emma was really impressed. She was portraying a lot of emotions with her body language. "That was really good." Nigel commented with a smile when she was done. "Regina, your turn." Emma gave her girlfriend's hand a squeeze. She knew Regina didn't need luck. Naturally, Regina began to fall right into pose after pose. She was flawless. It was clear that she had been doing this for a long time. "You really wowed me!" Nigel told her. Emma was called next. She was nervous, but she knew she just had to focus. Her eyes were covered, but she could imagine they weren't. She did what she would do normally, and tried to channel her inner Regina. "I thought you would be the weak link today, because you rely on your eyes, but I am really impressed." Nigel grinned at her. Tink was to go. She actually seemed to struggle to find poses. She stumbled a bit through the challenge. Emma had thought Tink was going to knock this one out of the ballpark. She felt bad when Tink was done. She looked very discouraged and upset with herself. "Okay ladies, see how hard it is to lose one of your senses, but you have to learn to adapt. If you can't remember to rely on all of your other senses, you won't get a good photo." He told them. "So, without further ado, the winner of this challenge is Regina." The girls all clapped and congratulated Regina on her win. Emma was proud that her girlfriend. Regina was kicking butt in this competition, and she didn't even realize just how good she was. "Regina, you will now pick a friend to receive 50 extra frames at the photoshoot." Nigel stated. Emma knew that Regina wanted to pick her, but she also knew that her girlfriend wanted to remain fair. Some of the girls hadn't gotten to experience any of the challenge prizes yet, and Emma felt confident that she would be okay without the extra frames. She gives Regina a small nod. "Ella." Regina smiled at her friend. "Thank you!" Ella exclaimed with a surprised smile. "Ella, you will now choose someone to get 25 extra frames." Nigel said. "I pick Emma." Ella replied. The girls were all dismissed and sent to the bus to take them back to the house. Emma was exhausted. She was ready to sit back and relax until the photoshoot. She just hoped Tyra didn't throw anything too crazy at them. *EMMA CONFESSIONAL* "I can't believe we are down to the final five. It's getting closer and closer to find out who the winner is. I hope it's Regina or I, but honestly, all the girls in the house want and deserve this. This week has been so crazy already. First, Mary Margaret leaves, and then...I realized that I love Regina. Obviously I've known for a while that I had feelings for her, I mean, we're dating, but I seriously love her. Like buy her favorite flowers on a random Tuesday, sing her love songs, watch cheesy musicals, never want to be without her, love her." **Regina-** Regina had been working on her facial expressions for the photoshoot. She knew that she could make her face soft, it was just something she needed to remember to do. Severe faces came more natural to her, but she knew that sometimes the judges wanted her to soften her face, and she was more than capable of that. She just had to push herself. "Emma, Regina, Tyra Mail!" Ruby called. The two made there way to the living room where Tink was holding the message from the host. Once everyone was ready, Tink read the mail outloud to the girls. _Do you have a six sense? Fierce and Love -Tyra_ It was no doubt related to their challenge. Regina felt confident in the photoshoot based off the clue. She had done well in the challenge, and she had 100 extra frames. She had nothing to worry about, right? * * * * * * The girls were taken to the studio where the photoshoot would take place. Jay greets them and explains that their photographer was a young lady who was new to the fashion world. Tyra had met her at a fashion show, and wanted to bring her onto the show. "So today, as you probably figured out, has to do with your senses. There are five of you, and five senses. You will each be assigned a scenario which relies on one of the senses." Jay explained. "So Ruby, you will be drinking coffee in a cafe, so your sense is taste. Emma, you'll be listening to music, you are hearing. Ella, you will be painting, which will be the sense of touch. Regina, you will be literally, stopping to smell the roses. And last, the sense of sight goes to Tink who will be watching a play at the theater. The goal is to make these simple scenarios fashion, and to not lose the model." The girls all nodded. Jay made sure they were all set and ready before he sent them off to hair, makeup and wardrobe. Regina was surprised that she was doing the sense of smell, but she wasn't too worried. She'd have to figure out some creative poses, but she was optimistic that she would do well. "Emma, you ready?" Jay asked. "Yep!" Emma assured him. She wandered off to set. Regina was finished with hair and makeup, so she followed Emma to set. She loved to watch Emma shoot, and she was confident that her girlfriend would nail this. They placed headphones over Emma's head that were attached to an I-Pod. Jay had actually put together a playlist to help her channel the sense. Regina wondered what song Emma was listening to because she was really into it. She nailed pose after pose, and it was obvious that she was portraying the sense of hearing. "Way to go, Emma. I couldn't have asked for more." Jay told her when she was done. Regina congratulated her girlfriend on a job well done before she whisked back to wardrobe. They dressed Regina in a 1950's look. She was excited for the outfit, but she was nervous for how she would use it to portray the sense of smell. She was starting to get anxious for the shoot. "How'd you do Ruby?" Regina asked when she noticed the brunette returning from set. "Let's just say it wasn't my best." Ruby said with a pout. "I hate the taste of coffee, and I got stuck." "Maybe you did better than you thought." Regina said trying to give her some hope. "We'll see. Best of luck on your shoot thought, you got this!" Soon, Regina was called to the set by Jay. They had set up a whole garden of flowers. Jay directed her to the section with different colored roses. He told her to make sure she gave a lot of variety, but she was unsure how she would do that. She began to smell the flowers. She tried to think of more poses, but nothing was coming to her mind. She was getting frustrated with herself. She had already used her 100 regular frames and was now starting the extras, but she still had nothing. "Regina, change it up!" Jay called. "I'm trying." She said back. "I….I just don't know what to do." She grabbed a few loose roses and tossed them into the air. She knew it wasn't exactly portraying smell, but it was supposed to be a creative take. Jay complimented her for trying, but she knew this was her worst shoot to date. "I'm sorry." She told Jay when she was done. "I know that was really bad, I don't know what happened." "It's the end of the competition, the stress is high." Jay replied. "It's normal to have a bad day. You have been at the top this whole competition. Don't let the pressure get to you now. I know you can do this." "Thank you, let's just hope the judges know that too." * * * * Everyone aside from Ruby and Regina had gotten pretty good feedback at the shoot. Regina was certain she was going to be in the bottom, and was worried she would be sent home. She couldn't imagine facing her mother. And the thought of being sent away from Emma was too much to handle. "It's going to be fine." Emma tried to think positively. "Emma, if I go, you have to win." Regina insisted. "Don't let my elimination be the thing that stops you." "You're not going home, Regina." Emma replied. "What if I do?" Regina asked, tears welling up in her chocolate brown eyes. "You won't, but if by some chance you do, we will figure things out." Emma promised. "Hey, it's alright, don't cry, babe." Regina sniffled. She couldn't believe this could very well be the last night she spent in this house with Emma. She hadn't entered this competition expecting to fall in love. In fact, she would have thought they were crazy if nine weeks ago someone told her she would fall for Emma Swan. But she did, and the thought of not being near her until the end of this competition was killing her more than losing the chance of becoming America's next top model. "Emma, I need you to listen for a moment." Regina said seriously. "There is a very real chance that after tomorrow, we will be apart for a while. And I can't let that happen without telling you something." "You can tell me anything, Regina." Emma said sincerely. "Emma, I love you." Regina said. Emma grinned. "Regina, I love you too." * * * * The girls were all lined up for panel. Regina's hands were sweaty with nerves. She was willing her stomach to stop doing flip flops. Regina had never been this nervous for a panel before. "Hello ladies." Tyra greeted with a smile. "Five girls left, and after tonight, we will be down to four. So, let's get started." Tyra called Emma up first. Her photo was full of energy, and her shot was killed. Regina wasn't surprised. She knew that Emma had done well in the shoot, and she was proud of her girlfriend. Nigel told Emma he was proud of how far she had come, and Regina knew he was sincere. Emma had grown so much. Next up was Ella. They had chosen a picture of her with paint all of her face. It was lovely. She had even put a hand in her hair to emphasize the sense of touch. Regina was growing more and more nervous. "Regina, you're up." Tyra called. Regina felt her heart drop a bit when she stepped up and they showed her photo. Tyra had picked the one of her throwing the flowers in the air. Had it been the first week of the competition, the photo wouldn't have been so bad, but Regina knew this was not acceptable for a model in the top five. She had one leg kicked up, her arms stretched up, and a wide smile on her face. But her eyes showed little emotion. "This is unexpected." Nigel told her. "And not in a good way. I don't get the sense of smell from this." "Well, Nigel, I chose this photo because she was finally doing something different." Tyra explained. "She got stuck in one pose, and there was little variety. Regina, you are usually my favorite film to go through, but I was disappointed this week. We both know you can do better." "Some people can't handle the pressure." Another judge commented. Regina knew how bad it was to hear those words. It was practically a death sentence. She knew from previous cycles of the show that girls who did well in the start and began to slip at the end, usually got sent home. If the judges even slightly suspected that you couldn't handle the pressure of the modeling world, they sent you packing. "I can handle the pressure, I promise." Regina told them. "I just had an off week. It won't happen again. If you allow me to stay, I can prove to you that I am strong enough for this." Tyra dismissed her and sent her back to her spot next to the other girls. They finished going through Ruby and Tink's photos before they were sent out. The judges hadn't loved Ruby's photo, but her feedback still seemed better than Regina's. Regina was so nervous. She wasn't used to being the weak link. She felt like she was letting everyone down. She without a doubt had done the worst in the photoshoot. She didn't want to leave, but she only had herself to blame. If they sent her home, at least she knew the winner was someone who deserved it and wanted it. * * * * * The judges finally called the girls back into the room. Their deliberation had taken much longer than normal. Tyra's face gave absolutely nothing away, and for Regina that made things even worse. "This was an extremely hard judging. You all have strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes, things happen that surprise even us judges. But, at the end of the day we have to do what we feel is right. So, I only have four photos in my hands, and these photos represent the four of you that will still be in the running toward becoming America's Next Top Model. The girl that I do not call must immediately return to your house, pack your bags and go home." Regina took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. Emma, who was standing next to her, gave her hand a squeeze. Regina hoped this wouldn't be the last time that Emma held her hand. "Best photo this week goes to Ella." Tyra announced. "Runner up, Emma. And, in the middle of the pack, we have Tink. Which leaves Ruby and Regina. Will the two of you please step forward." Regina made eye contact with Emma who looked terrified. Emma had been optimistic and had tried help Regina stay positive, but that was kind of hard now. And to make matters worse, Regina was in the bottom two with Ruby. The girl who Emma had been friends with since casting week. Either way, this elimination was going to be the hardest one yet. "Ruby, Regina, two amazing, beautiful models. The two of you have had some of the best photos here, but you are slowly sinking." Tyra began. "Ruby, we've been on you about being too sexy in your photos, and this week you gave us nothing. So we worry that sexy is all you can do, and that high fashion will never be your strong suit. And then we have Regina, the girl who has been consistently high in the calling, and yet here you are. I never expected to see you in the bottom two, but this weeks photo made the judges concerned that you will crack under the pressure. So, who stays? Regina, I think you can handle this. You just gotta prove it to all of the people behind me." Regina gasped when she saw her photo in Tyra's hand. She had not expected to be the one staying. She really thought she was going to be going home. After thanking Tyra, Regina made her way over to the rest of the girls. Emma grabbed Regina and held her tightly. "Thank goodness." Emma said. Ruby was finished hugging Tyra, and came to say goodbye to the others. She was crying, but she managed a smile and wished the girls luck. She made Emma and Regina promise to send her an invite to their wedding, which made everyone chuckle. Regina thanked her lucky stars that she was saved this week. *REGINA CONFESSIONAL* "I don't know how I am still here, but I am so grateful that Tyra decided to give me enough chance. I hope I can prove to her that I deserve this. It's hard knowing I took this from Ruby, but knowing that I still get to be here with Emma means the world. Even if I don't win this competition, in my heart I have already one." **A/N** I have a new story possibly coming during semester break! I will also update this more during the next few weeks while I have some time off! -Kaila :) 


	10. Chapter 10

Week Ten:

 **Emma-**

Emma was feeling down now that Ruby was gone. There were only four girls left, and Emma was feeling pressured. Seeing Regina in the bottom two was terrifying for Emma. She couldn't imagine getting through the last few weeks without her girlfriend. Regina gave her strength.

"I can't believe Ruby is gone." Ella commented as the four remaining girls sat at the table eating dinner together.

"I know." Tink agreed. "It's crazy that it's just the four of us now."

"The competition is going to get even more intense." Emma said.

"I sincerely wish you all the best of luck." Regian told her friends.

Emma wondered who would be going home this week. She really couldn't say at this point. They were all amazing models, and each one had their strengths. Emma was a little worried. Was she the weak link? Was she next to go?

The girls were given Tyra mail for their challenge that week. The clue said: "Don't FOURget your lines". They all knew it was a commercial challenge. They had been waiting for this day. Emma was nervous. She had a hard time remembering lines, and she often got flustered when she had to act. It usually came across as monotone.

"You're going to do fine." Regina tried to reassure her, but Emma couldn't shake the feeling that she was going to bomb her commercial.

When they got to the location of the commercial, Emma was completely in awe. It was set at a beautiful castle right on the lake. Emma had never seen a castle in person before. She'd never even been to Disney. Emma may not be your average girly, girl, but she she felt like she was in one of those romance movies.

"Hello ladies." Jay greeted. "I know it seems a little odd that your challenge is a commercial today, but as a top model you can't just take a pretty picture. You have to be able to move on camera and recite words."

The girls all nodded. It honestly wasn't a surprise that the commercial was today. There had never been a cycle of ANTM without at least one commercial shoot.

"So, today you will be selling this new lipstick designed by Robin Locksley. The lipstick is called Lip Locked, and is the best lipstick for keeping your lips bold and beautiful all day without rubbing off on anything." Jay explained. "In your commercial you will be acting as tourists. We have split you into groups of two, so you will be doing this commercial together. So we will shoot the same commercial twice for judging. One for each pair."

Emma felt a little relieved. Having one of the other girls to bounce emotions off would help a lot. It would feel a little less like acting if she was talking to another model. She just hoped she didn't bring down her partner in this.

"Tink and Ella, you are our first pair, which means Emma and Regina will be our other pair."

Emma was ecstatic to be shooting with Regina. It was fitting that their first photo and their first commercial would be them together. Emma was feeling more confident because she knew she and Regina worked well together.

"Here are the lines, memorize them. There aren't many, so it shouldn't be too hard."

MODEL 1: Need a lipstick that shines even after a long day of touring a new city?

MODEL 2: A lipstick that survives a glass of wine?

MODEL 1: Well, here's the deal. Lip Locked is an all new line of custom lipstick that sticks to your lips and nothing else.

MODEL 2: Lip Locked is guaranteed to be your new best friend. It comes in 13 unique shades, so you can always have a color that matches your look.

MODEL 1: You'll never want to trade this lipstick in.

MODEL 2: You can wear this Lip Locked to a rock concert.

MODEL 1: Or to a 14th century palace!

MODEL 2: Wherever you go, Lip Locked has your back!

MODEL 1: This is a lipstick that will be your best friend.

MODEL 2: Or your lover.

MODELS TOGETHER: Lip Locked, by Robin Locksley.

Emma was relieved that their wasn't too many lines. They were pretty easy, and at least they were in English. Emma remembered on previous cycles sometimes the girls had commercials in Japanese, French, Spanish, etc. She couldn't imagine that.

"Do you want to be model 1 or 2?" Emma asked Regina as they sat down to the make-up station.

"Hm, I'll be model 1." Regina said.

"This is going to be fun." Emma grinned.

"It will be." Regina agreed with a smile.

The two read through the lines a few times before they practiced them out loud together. After a few run throughs, Emma was confident that she had her lines down. She just needed to work on the emotion behind the words. She knew one of the downfalls girls had on these commercials was sounding too robotic and she didn't want to make that mistake.

"Okay, Emma and Regina, you're up." Jay called to them.

Emma knew Regina enjoyed going first. She always said that she psyched herself out if she watched others go before her. Emma, however, didn't mind having the extra time to prepare. Today, though, Regina would be happy. They were going before Ella and Tink.

"The best advice I can give the two of you is to just be your natural selves." Jay instructed. "Build off of one another. Have fun. Don't make it forced."

Emma nodded. That made sense. She hated watching commercials that seemed way too rehearsed. She usually skipped through them if it seemed too fake. She took a deep breath. She could do this. She could be herself.

"Need a lipstick that shines even after a long day of touring a new city?" Regina recited with a smile.

Emma took a sip of the wine colored water she had been given as a prop. She recited the next line flawlessly. As they continued on, it became like second nature. Emma laughed when she felt like it was appropriate. She and Regina definitely brought great energy to the set.

"This lipstick will be like your best friend." Regina said laying her head on Emma's shoulder.

"Or your lover." Emma winked.

"Lip Locked, by Robin Locksley." They said in tandem.

"Cut!" Jay called out. "I loved it! I want to actually add something to the end of your commercial. Robin Locksley is very inclusive, and he is an LGBTQ+ ally. So I think it would be really cool if we added an "or both" after you says best friends or lovers, and maybe we can sneak in a kiss."

Emma and Regina agreed, excited that they had inspired Jay. They did one more run through with the added lines before they were done for the day. Jay explained that Tyra might not choose that take, but her was glad they tried it.

"That was so fun!" Emma told Ella and Tink as they were walking up to set.

"Ugh I'm so nervous!" Tink replied. "I keep fumbling through the lines."

"Just relax, be yourself." Regina advised. "You can do this, Tink."

"Thanks, but I'm not very good at commercials." Tink admitted. "I'll be lucky to get through one take."

"We got this." Ella tried to pump her up.

Jay called them to the set. He gave them some words of encouragement before they began running the takes. Tink struggled from the very start. She was clearly uncomfortable and her words seemed forced.

"Tink and Ella, let's take a moment." Jay suggested. "Ella, you are doing really well, but you could have a bit more emotion in your eyes. Tink, I think you need to stop worrying about saying the words perfectly, and just pretend your talking to one of your friends."

The girls nodded and thanked him for their advice. Jay's words seemed to help a lot. Emma noticed that Tink loosened up and was able to sound more casual. Ella also was doing better after their quick talk with the director.

Ella and Tink wrapped up their last take. Jay called the four of them over to discuss how the day had gone. It was technically still a challenge so Jay needed to decide on a winner.

"You all ended with a good commercial so that's a plus." Jay told them. "Tink, you definitely struggled at the start but once you relaxed, it got 20 times better. Ella, you were a little bug eyed at first, but after I critiqued you, it was a complete 180. Regina, wonderful job. My only advice for you is that for the next commercial, be careful not to tilt your head too much. You naturally hold your head high, so just make sure you don't do it too much. Emma, I was very impressed by your work. I didn notice there were times you tended to talk a bit fast, so just be cautious of that. At the end of the day, I am proud of all of you, but of course we can only have one winner. So, without further ado, Emma is our winner today. You will get a lovely dinner at a 5 star restaurant and will be taking home this one of a kind emerald necklace."

Emma was able to take Regina with her to the restaurant. They were taken by Limo right to The Dark One. It was apparently known for its mysterious feel, but amazing food. Emma ordered a steak dinner and Regina got the glazed salmon.

"This food is so good." Regina moaned as she took a bite of her fish. The sound was doing things to Emma she was ashamed to admit.

"We should get dessert too." Emma suggested with a wink.

"Get your head out of the gutter, Swan." Regina chuckled. "The dessert you want will have to wait."

"I know." Emma assured her. "But seriously, the chocolate brownie sundae looks to die for."

Regina looked at the photo of the dessert Emma was gesturing too. She nodded in agreement. Emma had quickly learned that chocolate was Regina's kryptonite. She'd have to keep that in mind for Valentine's Day.

"I am so glad we did well on the commercial." Emma said.

"You were a natural." Regina complimented.

Emma blushed again. She knew compliments from Regina were always sincere. Even though Regina was technically her competition still, Emma always wanted to impress her.

"So, now that there's only four of us, do you think it will be us in the final two?" Emma asked her girlfriend. "I mean, completely honestly."

"I think we have a really good shot." Regina said. "I am almost certain that you will be the top two."

"What about yourself?" Emma asked her with a frown. "You are without a doubt the best model here."

"I may have some natural talent, but I think you have much more passion that I do." Regina admitted.

"It's going to be us in the final spots." Emma said. "I believe it wholeheartedly."

"Well, if not, promise me that you will win." Regina gave her a smile.

"It's going to be us." Emma repeated. "But if by some chance it's not. Fine, I promise."

*EMMA CONFESSIONAL*

"I can't believe it's down to the final four girls. I think watching Ruby go home made things feel even more real to me. One of us is actually going to win America's Next Top Model soon! I love Ella and Tink and I think they are such amazing models. They are also really good friends and just people in general. With all that being said though

 **Regina-**

Regina Mills was looking at herself in the bathroom mirror. She was in the top four of America's Next Top Model. It was unbelievable. She ran her finger over her lip scar absentmindedly. Cora had always said it was a shame that Regina was damaged. A mark on her face would make it so she would never be a model, which also meant she'd never make her mother proud. But, Regina had proven Cora wrong.

Growing up, Regina wanted to follow in her father's footsteps and go onto law school. She was a brilliant student, and her father had always supported her dreams. When Regina was fourteen though, her father died in a horrible car crash. She had been devastated. Cora began to push Regina onto a different path, and eventually, she caved.

Regina had an older sister, Zelena, who her mother adored. She would always tell Regina that her sister was the beautiful one in the family. It made Regina very insecure, and it often put her at odds with Zelena. Before this competition, Regina didn't believe in her own beauty. Emma had helped her start to see herself in a different light.

"Morning." Emma greeted, sneaking up behind Regina in the bathroom. She put her arms around Regina's waist and kissed her cheek.

"Good morning, love." Regina smiled.

"We just got mail." Emma told her girlfriend. "It said something about being in with the seasons' trend."

"Photo shoot?" Regina asked.

"Probably." Emma guessed. "But hey, we're almost done, and then when you're the winner, we can move to New York together. Maybe we can even get a cat."

"I'm a dog person." Regina smiled.

"Me too." Emma smiled back.

"And, it's when _you_ win, Emma."

"Nope, no way." Emma said pulling away. "I don't wanna hear it, la la la."

"You are a child." Regina giggled as they exited the bathroom.

"You love me." Emma smirked.

"I do." Regina agreed, leaning in to kiss Emma. "Now, come on, I want coffee and breakfast before the photoshoot!"

Emma was right, the theme for the photoshoot did involve fashion seasons. The four remaining girls were each assigned a season to portray in their photos. Ella was given winter, Tink was spring, Emma was summer, and Regina was autumn. They were given outfits that fit the seasons they were representing and a whole set dedicated to it as well.

Ella was up first. She was dressed in a pair of jeans, a turtle neck sweater, a winter jacket, a beanie, and scarf. The set was covered in fake snow. She played around a bit in it, and tried some new poses. Regina was impressed when Ella got down on the ground and posed as if she was making a snow angel.

"Good creativity." Jay began when Ella finished. "I just want to see more expression in your face."

Next up was Tink. She was wearing a raincoat, rain boots, and was given an umbrella. Her set was covered in flowers with some puddles of water. Regina noticed right away that all of the different props and accessories were overwhelming Tink. She was stuck and she couldn't get out of it. She managed to get a few shots at the end, but it wasn't a lot to go off of.

"Tink, you know what I'm going to say." Jay sighed. "You got into your own head again. That's always your downfall."

Regina felt bad when she watched Tink walk off with tears in her eyes. She had been watching her friend slowly breakdown over the past few weeks. The stress was starting to get to her.

Emma came onto set next. She was dressed in a sundress, sandals, and sunglasses. She had a set that was brightly lit like the sunshine and a game of hopscotch was set up. Emma used the game to her advantage and played around with her dress, making it twirl.

"Really good job, Emma!" Jay complimented. "I love how much fun you seemed to have on set today!"

Regina was the last one up. They had dressed her in a pair of dark jeans, a dress coat, and riding boots. Her set had a pile of leaves, and a park bench. She did a few shots on the bench, before playing with the leaves. She tossed them around, and layed in the pile.

"You are so natural!" Jay told her. "I'm always stunned by you!"

As happy as Regina was to know she did well, it was hard knowing some of her friends hadn't done as well. The closer they got to the end, she wondered how much she really deserved this. If her father was still alive, she doubted she would even be here. She loved modeling, which surprised her, but she wasn't certain it was 100% her passion.

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

When the final four girls arrived at judging, the vibes were even more somber than previous weeks. After today, the whole competition would change. It would be a showdown between the final three and then the last two girl would be in their first real fashion show. From there, a winner would be determined and the competition would be over. Even if she lost, Regina knew her life wouldn't just go back to the way it was before ANTM.

"Wow, four girls left." Tyra greeted them. "We are down to the last few days of this competition, and I'm sure you are feeling a lot of things."

Regina nodded from her spot by the other girls. They had all discussed what they were feeling: anxious, tired, excited, and ready to take on the world. They had all changed in so many ways since they got here ten weeks ago.

"Well, I want you all to know that I am so proud of all of you. This competition tested you emotionally, physically and mentally, but you each proved just how bad you want it and just how good you are." Tyra smiled at them. "So without further ado, let's see this week's pictures. We'll start with Emma."

Emma walked up to see her photo. Regina could tell she was feeling confident. They had chosen one of Emma playfully jumping on the hopscotch board. She looked young and fresh, and stunning. Regina was always so proud to see Emma's picture.

"This is exactly what a fashion magazine would want to see." Nigel said. "You want to be able to appear younger, and you have pulled that off."

"I agree!" Tyra said. "Your film was full of energy this week, and I was very proud."

Emma returned to her spot by the other girls as Tyra called Ella up next. The picture was of Ella trying to make a snow angel. The pose was stunning, but Regina already knew what they were going to tell the blonde.

"Your body is great." One of the judges commented. "This is a very creative pose, but your face is lacking."

"That's exactly what I was going to say." Nigel replied. "Ella, you are beautiful, but your eyes tend to lack emotion in your film. You need to think of things that help you show emotion. Like your daughter for example, your eyes light up when you talk about her. Bring that to set."

Ella thanked them for her feedback. Regina gave her a small encouraging smile. She knew Ella had what it takes to be a good model, she just needed to believe it herself. Tyra called Regina up next. They had picked a picture of Regina tossing some leaves into the air with a hint of laughter on her face.

"Regina, this is lovely." Tyra said. "I love the playfulness. You usually pose more seriously, so it's wonderful to see you step out of your comfort zone and embrace your silliness."

"Absolutely true!" Another judge said. "You are a chameleon and I love it."

Regina was glad for such good feedback. Whenever she doubted why she was here, it seemed the judges were able to convince her she belonged here. It was a good boost to her confidence, and she was glad she had made them happy with her picture. Last up was Tink. The photo was one of her holding the umbrella open in front of her.

"Tink, your face is gorgeous, but the body language is a bit awkward." A judge commented. "You seem a bit lost in that department."

"It's how your whole film was." Tyra stated. "I wish we could talk Ella's body and your face and merge them into a perfect shot, but we can't."

Tink walked back to her spot looking very defeated. Regina felt bad, she knew Tink was extremely hard on herself. It was hard to see how upset she would get when she didn't live up to the high expectations she set for herself.

The judges sent the girls out so they could deliberate. As they exited it hit Regina that after today, they would only send one more girl home. Then it would be a showdown for the title of America's Next Top Model. Tonight, that dream would end for someone.

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

When the girls were called back into the room a while later, Regina could feel everyone holding their breaths. Even the judges looked sad to have to send one of the girls home. They were all so close, and yet, only one would make it all the way to the end.

"I only have three photos in my hands, and these photos represent the three of you that will still be in the running toward becoming America's Next Top Model. The girl that I do not call must immediately return to your house, pack your bags and go home." Tyra said almost immediately. "This has been a long ten weeks. You've been through a lot of ups and downs throughout this competition. I believe that you all have potential to be America's Next Top Model, and tonight's decision was one of the hardest we have had to make."

Regina felt her heart pick up pace. She tried to calm her nerves, but panal never got any easier. She had felt confident when they were reviewing pictures before, but you could never be certain. Maybe the judges knew about the doubt she'd been feeling and decided she didn't deserve to win.

"This week, the best photo goes to, Regina." Tyra announced, causing Regina to gasp. She couldn't believe she had best picture. "Runner up is Emma."

Emma let out a sigh of relief as she took her picture and then joined Regina off to the side. They watched sadly as Tink and Ella approached Tyra. Regina had no idea which one of them would get sent home. It was anyone's guess.

"Tink and Ella. Two beautiful girls who have blown the judges away in previous weeks. But, this week, you both lacked what the other had. Ella, a lovely pose, but no emotion in your face. Tink, a stunning picture close up, but the pose was so so awkward. " Tyra said. "Which makes the decision even harder because you both have what the other girl desperately needs. So it came down to the commercial challenge this week. Ella, you're still in the running to become America's Next Top Model."

*REGINA'S CONFESSIONAL*

"This week had so many ups and downs. I hate feeling like the girls who are being sent home want it more than me. It's not that I don't love being here, I really do, I just...I can't say that modeling is my whole life. I have other passions too, and I feel like I'm cheating. When I see Emma's whole face light up when she talks about winning this competition I can't imagine taking it away from her. I don't know. Maybe these ten weeks have just gotten to my head. I just can't wait for it to be over and to be able to go to New York with Emma. That's my passion. I know that without a doubt."

 **A/N Hey everyone! Sorry it's been a while, I've been on a Criminal Minds kick lately and have started attempting a fanfic from that fandom, but I found my muse for SQ again! I will be virtually in lockdown for the next month as all of my classes have moved online and essentially all I can do is hangout in my apartment with my cat and fiancee. So, all my free time will provide for hopefully some updates! I have two more chapters left for this fic and then an** **epilogue** **! Let me know how you liked this chapter :) -Kaila**


End file.
